
/ST 



2. 




MY FIRST RECOLLECTIONS 
OF RROOKVILLE, PA. 



When my feet were bare and my cheeks were brown. 




MSWNffiww 



&#* 






WESTERN ENTRANCE TO BROOKVILLE, 1840. 



BY- 



w'.'j. Mcknight, m. d. 



«4 



t 



1 



PREFACE. 



At the repeated solicitation of Maj. John McMurray, 1 wrote these, my ''Recollec- 
tions of Brook ville in 1840-1843," for his newspaper, the JEFFERSONIAN Democrat. 
The articles appeared weekly, and were about a column in length, running from July 
19, 1894, until December 6, 1894. After the first article was published Maj. McMurray 
further suggested that the type, after being used in the paper, he weekly set aside and 
reprinted in pages for a small pamphlet, and that 1 publish a limited number of these 
for distribution among friends and neighbors. This we have done. While no apology 
is offered for the pamphlet, it is but just to the reader of it to say, that the articles were 
not written with the seclusion and care of a historian, or to appear in a book, but were 
written from my own childhood remembrances of that period, and penned tor the 
JEFFERSONIAN DEMOCRAT at times when I had a little leisure from business and 
professional duties. Yours, * 

\V. J. McKxiuht. 
Brook ville, Pa., January 1st, 1895. 



MY FIRST RECOLLECTIONS OF BROOKVILLE. 



By OR. W J. MeKXmilT. 



I was born in Brookville when wolves 
howled almost nightly on what is now- 
known as our "Fair Ground :" when the 
pine in its lofty pride leaned gloomily over 
every hill-side ; when the shades of the 
forest were heavy the whole day through ; 
when the woods around our shanty town 
was the home of many wild animals, such 
as panthers, bear, wild cats, foxes, deer, 
elks, rabbits, turkeys and pheasants ; when 
the clear sparkling waters of the North 
Fork. Sandy Lick and Kedbank creeks con- 
tained choice pike, many bass, sun, horned 
chubs, trout, and other fish : when the wild 
"bee trees" were quite numerous and full 
of luscious sweets tor the woodsman's axe. 
As you will see. choice meals for hunters 
and nimrods could easily be obtained from 
the abundance of this game. 

The conditions and circumstances of the 
country made every man a hunter, and 
each and every one had his gun, bullet 
moulds, shot pouch and powder horn for 
any and every emergency. It was fre- 
quently found necessary before going to 
church on Sunday to shoot a wild turkey 
or a deer to "keep them off the grass." 
The "mighty hunters", though, were 
"Mike' 1 ,- "Dan", John and "Bill" Long! 
Dan was murdered on the Clarion river, 
near Raught's mill. John was the father 
of Hon. .las. E. Long. in winter these 
hunters wore a white garment, called 
a "hunting shirt", buckskin breeches, and 



moccasin shoes. Animals were ruthlessly 
killed for their skins. Deer were thus 
slaughtered, only the "saddles," or hind 
quarters, being saved for food. If a his- 
tory of these Longs could lie truthfully writ- 
ten — a full narration of their adventures, 
perils, coolness and daring while on the trail 
of bear, wolves and panthers — it would per- 
haps make a book, equally as interesting as 
the "Life of Dan'l Boone and Simon Girty." 
In the way of a preface to these imper- 
fect reminiscences of Brookville and our 
dear fathers, I simply ask of you this: 

Let not ambition mock their useful toil, 
These homely joys and destinies obscure, 
Nor grandeur hear with a disdainful smile 
These short and simple annals of the poor. 
My first (dear and distinct recollections 
of our town and the people in it are in the 
years 1840 to 1843. The ground where the 
Democrat is now printed was then covered 
with pines. Then Brookville was a town 
of 40 or ."><) "•shanties" and 8 or 10 business 
places, including the "old brick court 
house" and the "old stone jail". The 
number of people in the town was about 
two hundred. These "shanties" were 
principally all on Main street, and extended 
from Judge Truman s residence in the east 
to where Judge Clark now lives in the west. 
There were a few scattered shanties on Jef- 
ferson street. A gieat, deep gully, crossed 
Main street about where the Brookville 
National Hank now stands. 



A common sign in those days was, 
"Cakes & Beer For Sale Eere"— a bottle of 
foaming beer in a glass in the corner. The 
The first of these signs which I remember 
was one on John Brownlee's house, now the 
Truman mansion, and one on John Show- 
alter's house (the late gunsmith), now the 
property of John S. Moore. The calces 
% were made of New Orleans molasses, and 
were delicious, more so than any you can 
make or buy now. They were sold for a 
cent apiece. The beer was home-made, 
ami called "small beer." It was made of 
hops, ginger, spruce, sassafras roots, wheat 
bran, molasses, yeast and water. About 
every family made their own beer. Mrs. 
Judge Henderson, Mrs. Showalter, and 
other old ladies living in the town now, 
I venture to say have made "barrels" of it. 
The hotels in the town then were tour in 
number. First, the "Red Lion", located 
then where Frank P. Rankin has his hard- 
ware store now. This hotel was kept by 
John Smith, the step-father of David Eason. 
The second was the "Jefferson House," 
then kept by Thomas 1 Castings, now occu- 
pied and kept by Phil. J. Allgeier. In 
this hotel the "light fantastic toe" was 
tripped to the airs of "Munney Musk", 
"Virginia Reel", French Four", and 
"Pinecreek Lady". The orchestra for these 
occasions was- George Hayes, a colored fid- 
dler of the town, who could play the violin 
behind his back as well as before his face. 
with his left or right hand, and asleep or 
awake. I could name quite a number of 
ladies in the town now whom 1 used to see 
enjoying themselves in this way. Thf 
third was the "Franklin House"', built by 
John Gelvin. and then kept by John Pierce. 
The Central Hotel, owned by S. B. Arthurs, 
has been erected on the ground occupied by 
the Franklin. The fourth w as on the cor- 
ner of Main and Burnett streets, erected by 
John Dougherty. It s\\ ung the sign - 

"Peaceand Poverty, by John Dougherty.'' 



In 1840 it was occupied and kept by John 
Gallagher. Each of these hotels had 
license, and sold whiskey at three cents a 
drink, mostly on credit. You could have 
your whiskey straight, or have brown 
sugar or "tansy bitters" in it. The bars 
had to be opened regularly on Sunday 
for "morning bitters." Single meals were 
given for twenty-live cents, a "check" or 
cold meal for a "leven penny bit", and a 
a bed for ten cents. Yon could stop over 
night, have supper, bed, morning bitters 
and breakfast, all for fifty cents. 

Tlie Susquehanna and Waterford turn- 
pike was completed in 1822 and 1823. It 
was a good road, and was kept in fair re- 
pair. In 1840 it passed from under State 
control, and the magnitude of the travel 
over it was great. The stage line was 
started in 1825. Morrow started his team 
in 1835, and cattle and other droving com- 
menced in 1835. All this I am told: but 
I know the stage was a big factor in 1840. 
Morrow was on time, and droving was im- 
mense. I have seen passing through Brook - 
ville on their way east from four to six 
droves of cattle in a day. The droves were 
generally divided into three sections. At 
the head of the first would be a man lead- 
ing a big ox, his extra clothing strapped 
on the ox's head, and the man would be 
crying out ever and anon, "K-o, b-o-s-s;" 
•"Come, boss." I have soon two and three 
droves of sheep pass in a day. with occa- 
sionally a drove of hogs sandwiched be- 
tween them. Horse droves were numer- 
ous, too. I have scon a few droves of colts, 
and a few droves of turkeys. I could not 
give an estimate of the number of these 
droves I have seen passing our home in a 
day. The business of droving began in 
June of each year, and ended in November. 
There was no other way to take this mer- 
chandise east than to drive it. 

But you must not think everybody was 
going east. A big lot of people were going 



3 



west, including their cousins and their 
aunts. This 'pike was the shortest line 
west. We lived where T. L. Templeton now 
lives, and every few days all through the 
summer months I would see, nearly oppo- 
site the Baptist church, in the middle of the 
street, two men and a dog, and one of the 
men usually carrying a gun. They were 
the advance guard for an "emigrant train." 
In a few minutes from one to six wagons 
would come in sight, and stop — all stopping 
here for a short rest. "Where are you go- 
ing?" was the usual inquiry. "Going 
West; going to Ohio." The wagons were 
heavy, wide-tracked, covered with hoops 
and a white canvas, had a stiff tongue and 
iron pole chains. The horses wore heavy 
harness, with iron trace chains. An occa- 
sional emigrant would locate in our county, 
hut the great majority generally struggled 
on for the far West — Ohio. 

The usual mode of travel for the people 
was on foot or on horseback; hut the most 
interesting mode was the daily stage, which 
"brought" and "took" the mail and car- 
ried the passengers, who were going east 
or west. This was the "limited mail," 
and the "day and night express" of these 
days — a through train, only stopping 30 
minutes for meals. Of course this "limited 
mail," this "day and night express," over 
this "short route, " eclipsed and overshad- 
owed every other line and mode of travel. 
It was "grand, startling, and stupendous." 
There were no through tickets sold, to he 

"Punched, punched with care, 

Punched in the presence of the pass o iij?aire." 

The fare was six cents a mile in advance, 
and to be paid in "bi-metalism." When 
the officials made their usual tour of in- 
spection over this "road" they had ex- 
tended to them the genuine hospitality of 

everybody, including that of the landlords, 
and free whisky. President Roberts of the 
Great Pennsylvania Line is a small potato 
to-day in contrast with the Chief Manager 
of our line in that day; for our line was 



then the vanguard of every improvement a 
passenger might desire or a traveler wish- 
for. 

The coaches were made in Concord, New 
Hampshire, and were called "rockaway 
coaches."' Each coach had heavy leather 
belt springs, and was a handsome vehicle, 
painted red, with gold stripes and letters, 
and was drawn by four horses. The coach 
win; made to carry nine passengers, but I 
have often seen it with a dozen inside, two 
on the. seat with the driver, and some on 
to]). Trunks were carried on the top and 
in the "booti" Every driver carried a 
horn, and always took a "horn." When 
nearing a "relay," or a postoffice, the val- 
leys and hills were made to echo and re- 
echo to the "er-r-a-h, er-r-a-h, tat, tat, 
t-a-h, tat t-a-h," of the driver's horn, which 
was to attract the attention of the landlord 
or postmaster, by night or by day. 

The prominent stage drivers in 1840 
were Gabriel Vasbinder, Bill Adams, Joe 
Stratton, and others. The great pride of a 
driver was then to turn a "coach-and-four" 
with the horses on a "complete run. " Bill 
Adams was good at this. Each driver car- 
ried a whip made as follows: A hickory 
stock, and a buckskin lash ten or twelve 
feet long, with a silk cracker on the end. 
These whips were handled with a marvel- 
ous dexterity by drivers, and were made 
to crack over the horses' heads like pistols. 
A laughable incident occurred in one of 
these turns on Main street. The driver 
was showing oft' in his usual style, and in 
making the turn with the horses on a com- 
plete run the coach struck a stone, which 
upset it. The weight of all the passengers 
coming against the coach door burst it 
open, and the passengers, one and all, were 
thrown out and literally dumped into the 
hotel barroom. This was a perfection in 
stage driving not easily attained. 

In 1840 Brookville merchants purchased 
their goods in Philadelphia. These pur- 



chases were made in the spring and fall fed in a box lie carried with him called his 
It took about two and a half days continu- "feed trough." The harness was broad 
ous traveling in the "limited mail" day and heavy, and nearly covered the horses, 
and night stage coach to reach Lewistown, and they were "•hitched up" to the wagon 
Pa., and required about one day and a with iron ' 'pole" and "trace chains. " The 
half traveling over the canal and railroad Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, the 
to reach Philadelphia from that point. Switchmen's Union, the 'American Rail- 
From Brookville to Philadelphia it required way Union." and all the Sovereigns and 
some four or live days constant traveling. Debs's put together, had no terrors for Joe. 
Our merchants carried their money on these for lie had but one employe, a "brakeman" 
trips as well as they could, mostly secreted for his second wagon. Joe was the em- 
in some way on or aboul their persons, ployed and tin- employer. Like a "trans- 
After purchasing their goods in Philadel- portation king, " like a "robber baron," he 
phia they were ordered to be shipped to sat astride a wagon saddle on the hind lead 
Brookville as "heavj freight." over the horse, driving the others with a single line 
great corporation freight line of "Joe Mor- andablacksnake whip, to the words, "Gee," 
row." Joewas a "bloated corporationist," "Jep," and ••haw." Morrow always re- 
a transportation monopolist of that day. mained in Brookville four or live days, to 
He was a whole "trust" in himself. He buy our products and load his train for the 
owued and managed the whole line and had home trip. He bought and loaded clover, 
no opposition, on this end at least. His timothy and flax seed, feathers, old rags, 
line consisted of two Connestoga wagons, tar. beeswax, wheat, rye. chestnuts, furs, 
the bed on each at least four feet high and and dried elderberries. The western ter- 
sixteen feet long. Each wagon was painted minus of his line was Shippenville, Clarion 
blue, and each was covered with a white county. Pa., and on his return from there 
canvas, this covering supported by hoops, was when he bought up these products. 
Thewagonwas always loaded and unloaded Morrow 's last trip to Brookville with his 
from the rear end. Thetireson the wheels train was about the year 1850. He was an 
were six inches wide. Each wagon would Irishman, slim. wiry, industrious, and of 
carry over three tons of freight, and was business habits. He was killed by the 
drawn over good roads by six magnificent kick of a horse between the years 1850 and 
horses, and over bad roads by eight of such 1860. J remember that he usually wore a 
horses. This was the "fast" and heavy spotted fawn skin vest, made from the skin 
freight line from Philadelphia to Brook- with the hair on. The merchants in Brook- 
ville until the canal was built to Lewis- ville of that day who are still living, and 
town, Pa., when Morrow changed hishead- tor whom Morrow hauled goods, as far a.s I 
quarters from Philadelphia to Lewistown, can recollect, are Uriah Matson, Harry 
and continued to run his semi-annual Matson, Judge Henderson, Samuel Truby, 
'•freight train" from Lewistown to Brook- Wm. Rodgers and W. W. Corbett, who now 
ville. Morrow's advent into town was al- reside in or near the town: Captain John 
ways a great event. He always stopped Hastings of Punxsutawney, and W. F. 
his "train" in fiont of the Red Lion hotel, (lark of Maquoketa, Iowa, and S. M. 
then kept by John Smith. The horses Moore of Minneapolis, Minnesota. 
were never stabled, but stood day and The town was laid out in 1830. My 
night in tha street, three on each side of father moved here in 1832. Hetaughtthe 
the stiff tongue of the wagon, and were second term of the school in the town, in 



5 



the winter of 1832. He was major in the 
militia, a justice of the peace, and was 
county treasurer when he died, in 1837, 
at the early age of twen ty-seven years, leav- 
ing my mother in this wilderness, a widow 
with three small children to support and 
rear. In 1H40 my mother taught a summer 
term of school, in what was then and is 
now called the Butler school house. This 
school house is on the Ridgway road, in 
Pinecreek township, two miles from town. 
I was small, and had to go and come to 
and from this school with mother. We 
came home every Saturday to remain over 
Sunday, and to attend Presbyterian church, 
service being then held in the old brick 
court house. The Presbyterians then 
called their church "Bethel." In 1842 it 
Avas changed to Brookville. We had no 
choir in the church then, but had a "clerk" 
who would stand in front of the pulpit, read 
out two lines, and then sing them; then 
read two more and sing them, and so on 
until the hymn or psalm was sung, the 
congregation joining in as best they could. 
Of these clerks the only ones I can now 
recollect were Thomas Lucas, Samuel Mc- 
Quiston, and John S. Lucas. I have no 
recollection of David's Psalms being used 
other than is found in Watts' version, in 
combination with the hymns. I recollect 

two of the favorite hymns at that time with 
this church. The first verse of each hymn 
was as follows : 

"When I can read ray title clear 

To mansions in the skies, 
I bid farewell to every fear, 
And wipe ray weeping eyes." 
The first verse of the second hymn was: 
"There is a land of pure delight, 
Where saints immortal reign ; 
Infinite day excludes the night. 
And pleasures banish pain." 

One by one, one by one, these early pio- 
neer Christians have left for this "land of 
pure delight,'! to occupy these "mansions 
in the skies." I hope and pray that each 
one is now — 

"In seas of heavenly r;st." 



After returning home from the Butler 
school house one Saturday, I remember 
I asked my mother for a "piece." She 
went to the cupboard, and when she got 
there the cupboard was not bare, for, lo ! 
and behold, a great big snake was therein, 
coiled and ready for fight. My mother in 
horror ran to the door and called Mr. Lewis 
Dunham, a lawyer, who lived in the house 
now occupied by R. M. Matson, Esq.. 
Mr. Dunham came on a run, and tried to 
catch or kill the snake with our "tongs," 
but it made good its escape through a big 
hole in the corner of the cupboard. Rep- 
tiles, such as blac--, rattle, house and other 
snakes « ere very plenty then in and around 
Brookville, and dangerous, too. 

In a former article I called Brookville a 
town of shanties. And so it was; but there 
was one exception, there was one solid build- 
ing, a dwelling occupied by a man named 
Bliss, on Water street, on or near the lot at 
present owned and occcupied by Billy Barr. 
It was built of logs. The other shanties were 
solid enough, for they were built in a differ- 
ent mannei from shanties now, being put to- 
gether with "frame timbers," mortised and 
tenoned, and fastened with oak pins, as iron 
and nails were scarce, people being poor and 
having little or no money. Every building 
bad to have a "raising," and the neighbors 
hud to be invited to help "raise." Cyrus But- 
ler, a bluff, gruff Yankee, was the captain at 
all raisings. He would stand off by himself, 
crving out at the proper time, "All together, 
men, he-o-he, he-o-he." 

No dwelling in the town was then com- 
plete withont having in .the back yard an 
"out oven, an "ash hopper," a "dye kettle," 
and a rough box fastened to the second sto- 
ry of the necessary, iu which to raise early 
cabbage plants. At the rear of each kitchen 
was a hop yine with its pole, and each fam- 
ily raised its own catnip, peppermint, sage 
and tansy. 

The hand of the reaper 

Takes the leaves that are hoary, 
But the voice of the weeper 
Wails manhood in glory. 



In 1840 there was a law requiring the en- to the soldiers from a bucket with a dipper. 

rollment of all able bodied men between 21 Anybody could sell whisky and anybody 

and 45 years of age in the militia. These could drink it. It was worth from 12 to 20 

were formed into companies and battalions, cents a gallon. The more brawls and fist- 

and organized into brigades, each brigade fights, tbe livelier, belter and greater was 

to meet once a year in "encampment," for a consider* d the muster. The bad blood be- 

period of three days, two days for "muster tween neighbors was always settled here. 

and drill," and one day for "review." The Each party always resolved to meet the other 

encampments were held in May or June, and on review day, to fight it out, and after the 

for some reason or other these soldiers were fight to meet, drink together and make tip 

called the "corn stalk militia." No uniforms their difference. "Pugilism was practiced 

were worn in most cases. The soldier wore in lhat day, not on scientific principles, but 

his home-spun or store clothes and each one by main strength. The terror of all public 

reported with his own pike, wooden gun, ri- gatherings was a man called "Devil John 

fie or musket, and under the inspiring infiu- Thompson." He lived in Indiana county, 

ence of his accoutrements, discipline and and came here always on reviews. Each 

drill, military company had a fifer or drummer, 

Each bosom felt the high alarms seldom a complete band. I have seen the 

And all their burni .g pulses beat to arms, late Judge Taylor blowing his fife, the only 

For non-attendance by a soldier at these musician of and for one of these companies. 

encampments a fine of fifty cents was imposed This occurred on Main street, in front of 

foi every day's absence. This fine had to be our hou-e; and when I look nack on this 

paid in cash, and was quite a severe penalty soldier scene, it seems to me these soldiers, 

in those days of no money, county orders, from their appearance, must haye been ccm- 

and store barter. posed of the rag-tag and bob tail of creation. 

The first encampment I remember was An odd and comic s ght it really was. To 

held on what is now called Granger (Jack) tie an officer or captain in one of these com- 

Heber's farm. Brig. Gen. Mercer was the panies was considered a great honor, and 

commander then. He rode a sorrel horse, something which the recipient was in duty 

with a silver mane and tail, and a curled bound to thank God for in his morning and 

mustache. His bridle was ornamented with evening prayers. I cannot do this subject 

fine leather straps, balls and tassels, and the justice. Such was the Pennsylvania militia 

blue saddlecloth was covered with stars and as I saw it, and all that remains for me to 

spangles, giving the horse the appearance of say is, "Great the State and great her sons." 

a "fiery dragon." The General would oc- In 1840 we had two big men in the town, 

casionally dismount, to make some inspec- Judge William Jack, who was sent to Con- 

tion on foot, when the army was drawn up gress, and who built and lived in the house 

in line, and then a great race, and frequent- on Pickering street, now owned and occu- 

ly a fight, would occur among the small boys, pied by Joseph Darr, Esq., anri Gen. Levi 

for the possession of the horse. The reward G. Clover, who lived on Main street, in a 

for holding him at this time was a "fippeny- house that was burned down, which stood 

bit." The camp grounds were alive with on the lot now owned by Mrs. Clarissa 

whisky sellers, ginger bread and small beer Clements, ami is the place of business of 

dealers. Whisky was to be had from bar Misses McLain and Feizer. Clover was a 

rels or jugs, in large or small quantities, big man physically, a big man in the militia, 

When the army was in line it was dealt out a big man in politics, and a big man in 



business. Like most big men in those days 
he owned and ran a whisky still. This dis- 
tillery was located on or near the property 
of Fred. Starr, in what is now Lilchtown. 
I used to loaf occasionally in this distillery, 
and I have seen some of our old citizens 
take a pint tin cup and dip it full of whisky 
from out of Cloyer's copper kettles, and then 
drink this whole pint of whisky down ap- 
parently at one gulp. I might pause to say 
right here, that in drinking whisky, racing, 
square-pulling, swearing and fighting, the 
old settler was "right in it." The wrestling 
and lighting ground then lor the men and 
boys was the ground now occupied by the 
Jenks machine shop, and the highway to 
and from these grounds was down the alley 
between Ed. Snyder' u blacksmith shop and 
C. A. Carrier's store. I have had business 
on that ground with some boys myself. 

In the woods in and around Brookville in 
1840, there were many sweet singing birds 
and beautiful wild flowers. I remember 
the laurel. We used to adorn our mantels 
and parlor iireplaces with these every spring. 
I remember the honeysuckle, the wild rose, 
the crab-apple tree, the thorn, and others. 
The aroma from many of these flowers was 
delightful. House plants were unknown. 
The garden flowers of that day were the 
pink, ( "a flower most rare,") the lilac, the 
hollyhock, the sunflower, and the rose. 
Each garden had a little bed of •'sweet- 
williams'* and johnny-jnmp-ups. " The 
garden rose was a beautiful, sweet flower 
then, and it is a beautiful, sweet flower to- 
day — and it ever will be sweet and beauti- 
ful. My mother used to sing to me this 
song as a lullaby: 

How fair is the rose, what a beautiful flower, 

In summer so flagrant and gay ; 
But its leaves are beginning to fade in an hour, 

And they wither and die in a day. 

Yet the rose has one powerful virtue to boast, 
Above all the flowers of the field; 

When its leaves are all dead and its fine colors lost, 
Still how sweet a nerfume it, will vield. 



So frail are the youth and the beauty of men, 

Though they look gay, and bloom like the rose, 
Yet all our fond care to preserve them is vain, 

Time kills th' m as fast as he goes. 
Then I'll not be proud of ray youth or my beauty 

Since both will soon wither aud fade, 
But gain a good name by performing my duty, 

This will scent like thf rose when I'm df ad. 

In 1840 there was no church building in 
the town. Our Presbyterian preacher in 
the town was the Rev. David Polk, a cousin 
to President Polk. The token was then 
given out on Saturday to all those who were 
adjudged worthy to sit at the Lord's table. 
These tokens were taken up on the follow- 
ing Sunday while seated at the table. Fri- 
day was "fast," or preparation day. We 
were not allowed to eat anything, or very 
little, until the sun went down. I can 
only remember that I used to get hungry 
and long for night to come. Rev. Polk 
preached half of his time in Corsica', the 
other half in Brookville. He lived on the 
'pike in the hollow beyond and west of 
Roseville. He preached in the court house 
until the Presbyterians completed the first 
church building in the town, in 1843. It 
stood where the church now stands, and 
was then outside of the borough limits. 
The building was erected through the efforts 
ot a lawyer then residing in Brookville, 
named C. A. Alexander. The ruling elders 
of the church then were Thomas Lucas, 
John Matson, Sr.. Elijah Clark. John Lat- 
timer. Joseph McCullough, and John 
Wilson. 

Other preachers came to town occasion- 
ally in 1S40, and held their services in 
the court house. One jolly aged Welsh- 
man, was called Father Thomas. He. was 
a Baptist, a dear old man, and a great 

singer. I always went to his church to hear 
him sing. I can sing some of his songs 
yet. I will repeat a stanza from one of his 
favorites : 

Oh, then I shall be ever free, 

Happy in eternity, 
Eternity, eternity, 
Happy in eternity. 



Dear old soul, he is in eternity, and I 
have no doubt is happy singing his favorite 
song there. 

A Methodist preacher named Elijah Cole- 
man came here occasionally. Methodist 
headquarters were at David Henry's, and 
at Cyrus Butler's. The first Methodist 
prayer meeting held in town was at Cyrus 
Butler's. It was held in the little yellow 
house occupied for years by Mrs. Rachel 
Dixon, and torn down by C. C. Benscoter, 
Esq., in 1887, in order to erect his present 
dwelling. 

The physicians in the town in 1840, were 
Dr. George Darling, father of the late Paul 
Darling, and Dr. Gara Bishop, lather of 
Mrs. Edmund English. Dr. Bishop was 
also a Presbyterian preacher. 

In 1840 Jefferson county contained a pop- 
ulation of 7, 253 people, and embraced nearly 
all of Forest and Elk counties. Ridgway 
was then in the northeast corner of our 
county, and Punxsutaw oej was a village 
of about fifteen or twenty dwellings. 

The politics of the county was divided 
into Whig and Democrat. The leading- 
Whigs in Brookville, as I recollect them, 
were Thomas Lucas, Esq., James Corbett, 
father of Col. Corbett, Benjamin McCreight, 
father of Mrs. Dr. Hunt, Thomas M. Barr, 
and Samuel H. Lucas. The leading Dem- 
crats were Hon. William Jack, Gen. L. G. 
C?over, Judge Joseph Henderson, John 
Smith, Daniel Smith, Jesse G. Clark, father 
of Judge Clark, D. B. Jenks, John Dough- 
erty, Richard Arthurs, and Thomas Hast- 
ings. Politics ran so high that year that 
each party had its own Fourth of July cel- 
ebration. The Whigs celebrated at Port 
Barnett. Nicholas McQuiston, the miller 
who died at Langville a few years ago. had 
one of his legs broken at this celebration, 
by the explosion ot a log which he had 
filled with powder. The Democrats cele- 
brated in Brookville. in front of the Frank- 
lin Hotel, now the Central. I was big 



enough to have a fall run and clear view 
of this table and celebration. The table 
was covered with small roasted pigs, roasted 
turkeys, venison, pies, gingerbread, "pound 
cake,"' ere. I was not allowed to partici- 
pate in the feast, although my father in his 
lifetime had been a Democrat. Boys and 
girls were then taught modesty, patience 
and manners by parents. Children were 
taught and. compelled to respect age, and 
to defer to the wishes of father and mother. 
Now the father and mother must defer to 
the wishes of children. There was more 
home and less public training of children, 
and as a result children had more modesty 
and patience, and less impudence. In 1840 
children slept in "trundle beds," and were 
required by their mothers to repeat every 
night before going to sleep this little prayer: 
Now I lay uie down to sleep ; 
I pray the Lord my soul to keep. 
It 1 should die' hefore I wake, 
I pray the Lord my soul lo take 

This home training was a constant build- 
ing up of individual character, and I believe 
a much more effectual way for good than 
the present public way of building charac- 
ter collectively. 

In 1840 our congressman was Judge Jack 
of Brookville, and our member of the legis- 
lature was Hon. James L. Gillis of Ridg- 
way township, Jefferson county. The 
county officers were : Prothonotary. Gen. 
Levi G Clover; sheriff', John Smith; treas- 
urer, Jesse G. Clark; commissioners, Daniel 
Coder, Irwin Robinson and Benjamin Mc- 
Creight. The county was democratic by 
one hundred and twenty-five majority. 

The postmaster in Brookville was John 
Dougherty, and Joseph Henderson was 
deputy U.S. marshal for Jefferson county. 
He took the census of 1840 for our county. 

Of the above named politicians and offi- 
cials. Judge Henderson is the only one now 
living. Every day yet the Judge can be 
found at his place of business, pleasant, 
cheerful and intelligent — a line old gentle- 



9 

num. In his many political contests I al- In 1640 every housewife in Brookville 

ways admired, defended and supported cooked over a fireplace, in which a crane 

him. Une thing I begin to notice, "he is was fastened 'so as to swing in, out, off, on, 

not as young as he used to be." and over the tire. Every fire-place had a 

Oh tell mt the tales I delighted to hear, wooden poker, a pair of tongs to handle 

Long, long ago, long, long ago; burning wood, and a shovel to remove the 

Oh sing me the old songs s. full of cheer, ashes _ The fuel used was woo d— pine, 

Long, long ago, Ion , long ago. , , . . , , , . , .„ 

maple, oak, birch and hickory. To every 

In 1840, we boys amused ourselves in the tire there had to be a "back log," and the 
winter months by catching rabbits in box- smaller or front pieces were supported on 
halts—the woods were full of them— skat- "andirons," or common stones. Matches 
ing on Geer's pond, a small lake then, were not in use, hence fires were covered at 
located where Allgeier's brewery now night, so as to preserve some live coals for 
stands, (this lake was destroyed by the the morning fire. Rich people had a little 
building of Mabon's millrace), skating on pair of bellows to blow these live coals into 
Han's (now Litch's) dam, and coasting a blaze, but poor people had to do the best 
down the town or graveyard hill. In the they could with their mouths. After hav- 
sumnier and fall months the amusements ing nearly smoked my eyes out trying to 
were alley ball behind the court house, town blow coals into life, I have had to give it 
ball, over ball, sock ball, fishing in the up and go to a neighbor to borrow a shovel 
streams and in Geer's pond, riding floats of fire. Some old settlers used "spunk," a 
of slabs on the creek, swimming in the flint,, and a barlow knife to start a fire in an 
"deep hole," and gathering blackberries, emergency like this. When matches were 
crab apples, wild plums, and black and first brought around great fear was enter- 
yellow haws. But the amusement of all tained that they might burn everybody out 
amusements, the one that was enjoyed of house and home. My moth. er secured a 
every day in the year by the boys, was the tin box with a safe lid to keep hers in. For 
cutting of firewood. The wood tor heating some reason they were called locofoco 
and cooking was generally hauled in matches. 

"drags" to the front door of each house The crane in the fireplace had a set of 
on Main street, and there cut on the "pile" rods with hooks on each end, and they were 
by the boys of each house. The gathering graduated in length so as to hang the ket- 
of hazel nuts, butternuts, hickory nuts and tie at the proper height from the fire. In 
chestnuts, was an agreeable and profitable addition to the kettles we had the long- 
recreation. My boy associates of tliose days handled frying pan, the handle of which 
— where are they ! I can only recall the had to lie supported by some one's hand, 
following, who are now living in Brook- or else on a box or a chair. Then there 
ville- David Eason, VY. C. Evans, Dr. C. was the three-legged, short-handled spider. 
M. Matson, Thomas E. Espy, Thomas P. It could support itself. And I must not 
McCrea, Daniel Burns, Clover Smith, W. forget the griddle for buckwheat cakes. It 
C. Smith and W. R. Ramsey. I under- had to be suspended by a rod on the crane, 
stand John Craig, Fred, and Lewis Dun- Then there was the old bake-kettle, or 
ham, Elijah and Lorenzo Lowell, and Alex, oven, with legs and a closely fitted cover. 
Barr live in the State of Iowa, Richard In this was baked the "pone" for the fam- 
Espy in Kentucky, and John L. and Anson ily. I can say truthfully that pone was not 
Warren in Wisconsin. used more than thirty days in the month. 



11) 



This was a hard way to cook. Women 
would nearly break their backs lifting these 
heavy kettles on and off, burn their faces, 
smoke their eyes, singe their hair, blister 
their hands, and "scorch" their clothes. 

Our spoons were pewter and iron, knives 
and forks were iron with bone handles. 
Otherwise the chinaware was about as it is 
now. 

The every -day bonnet of women then was 
the "sun-bonnet" for summer, and a quilt- 
ed "hood" for winter. The dress bonnet 
was made of paper or leghorn, and was in 
shape something like our coal scuttles. 

In 1840 nearly every wife in Brookville 
milked a cow and churned butter. The 
cows were milked at the front door on Main 
street. Every wife caught water in barrels 
or tubs from the house roof to wash clothes 
and do the scrubbing with. Scrubbing the 
floors of a house had to be attended to reg- 
ularly once a week. This scrubbing had to 
be done with powdered sand and a home- 
made "split broom." Every wife had to 
make her own soap, bake her own bread, 
sew and dye all the clothes for the 
family, spin the wool for and knit the 
mittens and socks, make the coverlets, 
quilt the quilts, see that the children's 
shoes for Sunday were greased with tallow 
every Saturday night, nurse the sick, give 
"sheep saffron" for the measles, and do all 
the cooking. About every family had a 
cow, dog, cat, pig, geese and chickens. 
The town gave these domestic animals the 
right to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of 
happiness." Of course, under these sani- 
tary conditions the town was alive with 
fleas, and every house was full ot bedbugs. 
Bats wery numerous, and the "public opin- 
ion" then was that the bats brought the 
bedbugs. This may be given as an illus- 
tration of the correctness of public opinion. 
However, we were contented and happy, 
and used to sing, 

Home, home, sweet, sweet home, 
Be it ever so liumble, there's no place like hon e." 



In 1840 there were doubtless many tine 
horses in Jefferson county, yet it seemed to 
me nearly every horse had stringhalt, ring- 
bone, spavin, highstep, or pole-evil. Horses 
with pole-evil were numerous then, but the 
disease has apparently disappeared. It was 
an abscess on the horse's head, behind the 
ears, and was doubtless caused by cruelty 
to the animal. If a horse did not please 
his master in his work it was a common 
thing for his master to knock him down 
with -a handspike, a rail, or the butt end of 
a blacksnake whip. Poor food and these 
blows undoubtedly caused this horrible dis- 
ease. Sick horses were treated in a barbar- 
ous manner. When sick they were not 
allowed to lay down ; hence they were 
whipped, run, and held upon their feet. I 
have seen horses held up with handspikes, 
rails, etc. The usual remedies were bleed- 
ing and drenching with filthy compounds. 
"Bots" was the almost unfailing disease. 

The cattle were home stock, big horned, 
heavy bellied, and long legged. They 
could jump over almost anything, and 
could outrun the "devil and his imps." 
They were poorly fed, received little care, 
and had little or no stabling. In the spring 
it was common for cows to be on the "lift." 
The common trouble with cattle was "hol- 
low horn," "wolf in the tail," and loss of 
"cud." These were little else than the 
results of starvation. I have witnessed 
consultations over a sick cow, when one 
man would declare positively she had hol- 
low horn, and another declare just as posi- 
tively it was wolf in the tail. After a 
spirited dispute they would compromise In- 
agreeing to bore her horn and splk her 
tail. If they had called it hollow belly 
and wolf in the stomach they would have 
been nearer the truth. A better remedy 
would have been a bucket of warm slop, a 
good stable, and plenty of hay. The rem- 
edy for "hollow horn" was to bore a gimlet 
hole in the hoin near the head and then 



11 



saturate a cloth with spirits of turpentine 
and wrap it around the horn. The cure 
for wolf in the tail was to split the tail near 
the end with a knife, and fill the cut with 
salt and pepper. The cure for "lifts" was 
to call the neighbors, lift the cow to her 
feet, and prop her up so she could not lie 
down again. The cures tor loss of "cud" 
were numerous and filthy. A ' 'sure cure, ' ' 
and common, too, was to roll human excre- 
ment in dough and force it down the ani- 
mal's throat. The same remedy was used 
lor ' 'founder. ' ' If the critter recovered the 
remedy was the right one; if it died the 
reason was the remedy had heen used too 
late. Ot course these conditions were all 
imaginary. They were only diseases re- 
sulting from exposure and want ot nourish- 
ing food. A wild onion called "ramp," 
and a shrub called "tripwood," grew in 
the woods and were early in their appear- 
ance each spring. These, of which the 
cattle ate freely, were often their only de- 
pendence for food. 

The hog of that time was a racer, and 
could outrun the average horse. His snort 
when startled was something terrible. He 
was of the "razor-back" variety, long 
bodied, long legged, and long snouted. By 
means of his snout he could plow through 
everything. Of course he was starved in 
the winter, like all the other animals, and 
his condition resulting from his starvation 
was considered a disease and called ' 'black 
teeth." The remedy for this disease was 
to knock out the teeth with a hammer and 
a spike. 

Ignorance was the cause of this cruelty 
to animals. To the readers of this article 
the things mentioned are astonishing. But 
I have only hinted at the barbarities then 
inflicted on these domestic animals, which 
had no rights which man was bound to 
respect. Not until 1866 was any effort 
made in this country to protect dumb ani- 
mals from the cruelty of man. In that 



year Henry Berg organized the American 
society in New York, and to-day the move-«. 
ment is felt throughout a great portion of 
the world. In 1890 there were 547 societies 
in existence for the prevention of cruelty to 
animals, 223 of them in the United States. 
The work of humane organizations is not a 
matter of mere sentiment. ' 'The economic 
necessity for the existence of societies hav- 
ing for their ohject the better care and pro- 
tection of animals, becomes manifest when 
it is considered that our industries, our 
commerce, and the supply of our necessities 
and comforts depend upon the animal world. 
In the United States alone, it is estimated 
that there are 14,000,000 horses valued at 
$979,000,000. There are also 2,330,000 
mules, 16,000,000 milk cows, 36,800,000 
oxen and other cattle, 44,000,000 sheep and 
50,000,000 swine. The total domestic ani- 
mals in 1890 were estimated at 165,000,000, 
valued at over $2,400,000,000." To-day 
every good citizen gives these humane 
societies or their agents his support, and 
almost every one is against the man or men 
who in any way abuse dumb beasts. 

Along about 1840 the winters were very 
severe and long, much more so than now. 
Regularly every fall, commencing in No- 
vember, 

Soft as the eider cown, 

Light as the spider gown, 

Came the beautiful snow, till 

Over the meadow lots, 

Over our garden plots, 

Over the ponds and the lakes, 

Lay only beautiful flakes. 

Then with this snowing, 

Puffing and blowing, 

Old Boreas came bellowing by, 

Till over the byways, 

And over the highways 

The snow-drifts were ever so high. 

The snow was several feet deep every 
winter. It came early and remained till 
late. 

I have made frequent reference in these 
articles to the old court house. As I find 



12 

there is some confusion in regard to its size, them over night, by slave captors. Inl- 
and as I find our county history contains prisoning men for no other crime than de- 
this error: "'The court house, a one-story siring to enjoy life, liberty and the pursuit 
brick building, was finished in 1 H32, ' ' I of happiness ! There was a branch of the 

deem it of sufficient importance to correct underground railroad for the escape of 
these errors, and to state that the court slaves running through Brookville at that 
house was a two-story building, with a one- time. As many as twenty-five of those un- 
story wing on the west extending along fortunate creatures have passed through 
Main street. This wing was divided into Brookville in one day. Judge Heath, then 
two rooms, the first for the prothonotary's living in our town — a great Methodist and 
office and the other for the commissioners' an abolitionist — bad to pay a line of two 
office. The main building was two-storied, thousand dollars for aiding two slaves to 
with an attic and belfry. The second story escape from this old stone jail, a big sum 
was divided into four good sized rooms, of money to pay for performing a christian, 
called jury rooms. The southwest room humane act. Was it not? In this stone 
was used by the Methodists for a long time jail men were imprisoned for debt, and 
for their Thursday evening prayer meeting, kept in it until the last penny was paid. 
Alex. Fullerton was their janitor. The I have seen some of the best men of that 
Union Sunday school was held here tor day in our county imprisoned in this old 
years also. The northwest room was used jail for debt, or bail money. I have seen 
as an armory by the Brookville Kitles — a Thomas Hall, than whom I knew no better 
volunteer company. The other two were man. no better christian, an elder in the 
used as jury rooms. 1 have played in every Presbyterian church, incarcerated in the 
room of the old building, and know every old stone jail for bail money. He ha 1 
foot of it. The building cost three thousand bailed a relative for the sum of fifty dollars, 
dollars. The contractors were John Lucas and his relative let him suffer. Honest, 
and Robert 1'. Barr. It was torn down in big hearted, generous, christian Thomas 
1806, to make room for the present line Hall ! Thank (rod that the day for such 
structure. Our alley-ball games were all inhumanities as those stated above are gone 
played tor years behind theold court house, forever. This old jail was rented, alter 
Our first jail was a stone structure., built the ne one was erected, and used as a 
of common stone, in 1831. It was two butcher shop until it was torn down to make 
stories high, was situated on the northeast room for the present court house 
corner of the public lot, near Joseph Dare's In these days of fine carriages and Brook- 
residence, and fronting on Pickering street, ville wagons, it might be well to describe 
Daniel Elgin was the contractor. The the wagon of 1840. Itwas called the Penn- 
building was divided into eight rooms, two sylvania wagon, was wide tracked, and had 
down stairs and two up stairs for the jail wooden axles with iron skeins on the spin- 
proper, and two down stairs and two up dies. The tongue was stiff, and reached 
stairs for the sheriff's residence and office, about three feet ahead of the horses. The 
The sheriff occupied the north part. The horses were hitched to these wagons by iron 
early church services in this building were trace and long-tongue chains. In rough 
held in the jail part, up stairs. This old roads I used to think every time the tongue 
jail has a history, not the most pleasant to would strike a horse on the leg it would 
contemplate or write about. It was used break it. Old team horses understood this 
to imprison runaway slaves and to lodge and would spread out to avoid these leg- 



13 



blows. The wheels were kept in place by 
means of an iron strap and lynch pin. 
Every wagon carried its own tar on the 
coupling pole under the hind axle. The 
carriage of that day was called a Dearborn 
wagon. I am unable to describe them, al- 
though I used to see them. The making 
of tar was one of the industries then. It 
retailed at 20 and 25 cents a gallon, and 
brought from three to four dollars a barrel 
at Pittsburgh. These old wagons would 
screen fearfully if they were not kept prop- 
erly lubricated with this tar. 

Big political conventions were held in 
those days, and a great custom was to have 
a young lady dressed in white to represent 
each of the different states, and have all 
these ladies in one wagon, which would be 
drawn by four or six horses. 

In the hotels of that day the "bar" was 
constructed for the safety of the bartender. 
It was a solid structure with a counter iu 
front, fioni which a sliding door on iron 
rods could be shoved up and locked, or 
shut down and locked; hence the hotel man 
could "bar" himself in and the drunken 
men out. This was for safety in dispen- 
sing whiskey, and is the origin of the word 
"bar" in connection with hotels. In 1810 
all our hotel bars were so made. 

Lumbering in 1840 was one of our prin- 
cipal industries. We had no eastern out- 
let, and everything had to be rafted to 
Pittsburgh. The saw mills were nearly all 
' 'up and down" mills. The ' 'thunder gust' ' 
mills were those on small streams. All 
were driven by flutter wheels and water. 
It required usually but one man on one of 
these mills. He could do all the work and 
saw from one to two thousand feet of boards 
in twelve hours. Pine boards sold in tho 
Pittsburgh market then at three and four 
dollars per thousand; clear pine at ten dol- 
lars per thousand. Of course these sales 
were on credit. The boards were rafted in 
the creek in "seven platform" pieces, by 



means of grubs. The oars were hung on 
what was called thole pins. The front of 
each raft had a bumper and splash-board as 
a protection in going over dams. The 
creeks then were full of short bends, rocks 
and drift. Cables were unknown here and 
a halyard made from hie ory withes was 
used as a cabteto tie up with. "Grousers" 
were used to assist in tieing up. A pilot 
then received four dollars to the mouth, 
forehands two dollars and expenses. The 
logging in the woods was all done with oxen. 
The camj) and mil boarding consisted of 
bread, flitch, beans, potatoes, or'eans mo- 
lasses and sometimes a 'itt e butter and cof- 
fee or tea without cream. Woodsmen were 
paid sixteen dollars a month and boarded, 
and genera 1 ly paid in store orders, or trade. 

We usually had three floods on which to 
run this lumber, spring, June and fall At 
these times rafts were p'enty and people 
were scarce, and as time and tide wait for no 
man, so whenever a flood came everybody 
had to turn out and assist to run the rafts. 
The boy had to leave hisschoo', the minis- 
ter his pu'pit, the Dr. abandon his patients, 
the 'awyerhis briefs, the merchant his yard- 
stick, the farmer his crops or seeding. And 
there was one great compensation in this, 
nearly everybody got to see Pittsburgh. 

"Running do n the cree and gigging 
back" was the business language of every- 
body. How many trips have you made, &c. 
It took about twelve hours to run a raft 
from the neighborhood of Brookville to the 
mouth, or the Allegheny river, and ordina- 
rily it recpaired hard walking to reach home 
the next day. Some ambitious, industrious 
pilots would "run down in the day time 
andwal back the same night. " James T. 
Carroll has made four of these trips in suc- 
cession, Joseph Shobert five, and William 
Green four or five. Of course these pilots 
remained down the last night. This ex- 
traordinary labor was accomplished with- 
out ever going to bed. Although some may 



14 



be incredu ous, these are facts, as the par- 
ties interested arc sti a ive. Pi ots some- 
times ran a'l night. Joseph Shohert has 
started from Broo vi e at 5 o'c oc , p. m., 
and reached the month at 5 o'c oc , in the 
morning. Other pi ots have done this a so. 

Pine square timber was ta' en out and 
marketed in Pittsburgh, No other timber 
was mar etah e, and then on y the best 
part of the pine cou d be hewed and ratted. 
often but one stic won d be used from a 
tree. In Pittsburgh this timber brought 
from four to eight cents a tout, running 
measure. 

The lumbermen could contract with hew- 
ers for the cutting, scoring and hewing of 
pine timber, complete, ready to be hauled, 
for from 4 to If cents per foot. All timber 
was generally well faced on one side, and 
was railed with lash-poles of iron wood or 
whiteoak, and securely fastened in position 
by means of whiteoak bows and asli pins. 
Bows and pins were an article of merchan- 
dise then. Bows sold at 75cents a hundred 
and ash pins brought oil cents a hundred. 
Grubs for board rafts sold at two dollars 
and fifty cents a hundred. Oar stems were 
then made from small sapling dead pines, 
shaved down. Pine timber, or wild lands, 
could then lie bought at from one dollar to 
( wo dollars per acre. 

As there has been considerable agitation 
over my paragraph on poll-evil in horses, I 
reprint here a slip -that has been sent me: 
AN OLD-TIME CUKE FOR POLE-EVIL. 

Ed. SPIRIT: — I am moved by your quo- 
tation from Dr. McKnight's article in the 
Brook ville DEMOCRAT on the old-time non- 
sense in relation to poll-evil in horses to 
say that the Doctor's explanation ot the 
cause of that severe affliction on the poor 
brute's head, is in part correct ; but it was 
mainly owing to the low doorways and the 
low mow timbers just above the horse's 
head as he stood in the stall of the old-time 
loo- stables. The horse oil en si ruck his 



head on. the lintel of the low doorway as he 
passed in and out ; and as he stood 111 the 
stall, when roughly treated by his master, in 
throwing up his head it came in violent 
contact with the timbers, and continued 
bruising resulted ultimately in the fearful, 
painful abscesses referred to. There were 
those in that day who had reputations for 
skill in the cure of poll-evil, and their 
method was this - The afflicted animal 
must be brought to the doctor before the 
break of day. An ax was newly grounu. 
The doctor must not speak a word to any 
person on any subject after the horse was 
given into his hand until the feat was per- 
formed. Before sun rise the doctor took the 
ax and the horse and proceeded out of sight 
of any human habitation, going tow aid the 
cast. When such a spot was reached, he 
turned toward the animal, bent down ils 
head firmly and gently, drew the sharpened 
blade of the ax first lengthwise, then cross- 
wise of the abscess sufficiently to cause the 
blood. to flow, muttering meanwhile some 
mystic words; then, just below where the 
head of the horse was, he struck the bloody 
ax in the ground, left it there, turned im- 
mediately around, walked rapidly away, 
leading the animal, and not at all looking 
back until he had delivered it into the hand 
of the owner, who was waiting at a dis- 
tance to receive it, and who took it home 
at once. The next morning at sunrise the 
ax was removed, and in due time the cure 
was effected. Ax Old-Timer. 

Smicksburg, Pa., September 7. 

The Hist known person to live within 
the confines of the present borough was Jim 
Hunt, an Indian of the Muncy tribe, lie 
was here as early as 1797, and was in ban- 
ishment for killing a warrior of his own 
tribe. By an Indian law he was not al- 
lowed to live in his tribe until the place 
of the warrior he had slain was filled by 
the capture of another male from white 
people or from other Indians. In 1808, 



15 



Jim's friends stole a white boy in West- 
moreland county, Pa., and had him ac- 
cepted into the tribe in place of the warrior 
Jim had killed. Jim Hunt's residence, or 
cave, was near the deep hole, or near the 
Sand Spring, on Sandy Lick, and was dis- 
covered in 1843 by Mr. Thomas Graham. 
After 1812 Jim Hunt never returned. He 
was a great bear hunter, having killed 78 
in one winter. He loved "lire water, " and 
all his earnings went for this beverage; yet 
he never dared to get so drunk he could not 
run to his cave when he heard a peculiar 
Indian whoop on Mill creek hills, liis 
Indian enemies pursued him and his Indian 
friends looked after him and warned him 
to flee to Ins hiding place by a peculiar 
whoop. 

The first white person to settle in what 
is now Brookville was Moses Knapp. He 
built a log house about 1801, at the mouth 
of North Fork creek, on ground now owned 
by Thomas L. Templeton, near Christ's 
brewery. The first white child born with- 
in the limits of what is now Brookville, 
was Joshua Knapp, on Mr. Templeton's 
lot, at the mouth of the North Fork, in the 
month of March, 1810. He is still living, 
in I'inecreek township, about 2 miles from 
the town. About 1806 or 1807, Knapp built 
a log gristmill where the waters of North 
Fork then entered into Kedbank. It was 
a rude mill, and had but one run of rock 
stones. In 1818 he sold this mill to Thos. 
Barnett. James Parks, Barnett's brother- 
in-law, came to run this mill about 1824, 
(Barnett having died), and lived here until 
about 1830. Parks came from Westmore- 
land county, Pa., and brought with him 
and held in legal slavery here a negro man 
named '"Sam.," who was the first colored 
person to live in what is now called Brook- 
ville. 

Joseph B. Graham, Esq., of Eldred town- 
ship, informs me that he carried a grist on 
horseback to this mill of one half bushel of 



shelled corn for this Sam. to grind. Mr. 
Graham says his father put the corn in one 
end of the bag and a big stone in the other 
end to balance the corn. That was the 
custom, but the 'squire says they did not 
know any better. Joshua Knapp, Uriah 
Matson, and John Dix\son, all took grists 
of corn and buckwheat to this mill for 
''Sam," the "miller," to grind. 

Happy the miller who lives by the mill, 
For by the turning of his hand he can do what he 
will. 

But this was not so with "Sam." At his 
master's nod he could grind his own "peck 
of meal," for his body, his work, his life 
and his will belonged to Parks. Many set- 
tlers in early days carried corn to the grist 
mill on their own shoulders, or on the neck- 
yoke of a pair of oxen. I have seen both of 
these methods used by persons living ten 
and fifteen miles from a mill. 

The census of 1830 gives Jefferson county 
a population of 2,003 whites, 21 free colored 
persons, and one colored slave. This slave 
we suppose was "Sam." 

Brookville was laid out as the county seat 
in 1830, but it was not incorporated as a 
borough until April 9th, 1834. (See pam- 
phlet laws of 1834, page 200. ) The first 
election held in the new borough for offi- 
cials was in the spring of 1835. Joseph 
Sharpe was elected constable. Darius Car- 
rier and Alex. McKnight (my father) 
were elected school directors. The first 
complete set of borough officers were elected 
in 1835, and were as follows: 

Burgess, Thomas Lucas; council, John 
Dougherty, James Corbett, John Pierce, 
Samuel Craig, Win. A. Sloan; constable, 
John McLaughlin (this man McLaughlin 
was a great hunter, and could neither read 
nor write; he moved to Brockwayville and 
from there went west); School directors, 
Levi G. Clover, Samuel Craig, David Hen- 
ry, C. A. Alexander, Wm. A. Sloan, James 
Corbett. 



16 



In 1840 the borough officers were : 

Burgess, William Jack; council, Elijah 
Heath, John Gallagher, Cyrus Butler, Levi 
Cx. Clover, John Dougherty, Win Rodgers; 
constable, John Dougherty. 

Of these early lathers the only one now 
living is Maj. William Rodgers. He re- 
sides about a mile from town, on the Cor- 
sica road. 

In 1H40 the "itch" was in BrookviUe, 
and popular all the year round. As bath- 
tuba were unknown, and family bathing 
rare, this itch was the seven year kind. 
Head lice among the people and in the 
schools were also common. Had I been 
familiar with Burns in my boyhood, many 
a time while seeing a louse crawl on and 
over a boy or girl in our schools I could 
have exclaimed, 

O, Jenny, diuna toss your heal 
An ' set your beauties a' abraed, 
Ye little ken what cussed .speed 
The beast's a makin'. 

The only cure for lice was to '"rid" out 
the hair every few days with a big, 
coarse comb, crack the nits between the 
thumb nails, and then saturate the hair 
with "red precipity," using a fine-tooth 
comb. The itch was cured by the use of 
an ointment made of brimstone and lard. 
During school terms many children wore 
little sacks of powdered brimstone about 
their necks. This was supposed to be a 
preventative 

In 1840 the only music books we had 
were "The Beauties of Harmony,"- and 
"The Missouri Harmony" Each of these 
contained the old "buckwheat" notes of 
me, fa, sol, la. Every one could not afford 
one of these books Music teachers traveled 
through the county and taught classes. A 
class was twenty-six scholars, a term thir- 
teen nights, and the tuition tee fifty cents 
for each scholar Teachers used "tuning 
forks," and some played a violin in con- 
nection with the class singing The teacher 
opened the singing by exhorting the class 



to "sound your pitches : "Sol, fa, la " 

In 1840 Billy Boo, an eccentric, intelli- 
gent hermit, lived in a hut on the farm in 
Rose township now occupied by William 
Hughey. Although he lived in this hut he 
spent most of his wakeful hours in Brook- 
viUe. He was a man of good habits, and 
all that he would tell, or any one could 
learn of him or his nativity, was that he 
came from England He was about 5 feet 
5 or 6 inches high, heavy set. and stooped 
shouldered He usually dressed in white 
flannel clothes Sometimes his clothing, 
from being darned so much, looked as if 
it had been quilted He lived upon the 
charity of the people, and by picking up a 
few pennies tor some light gardening jobs 
He died as a charge on BrookviUe borough 
in 1863. 

Indian relics were found frequently on 
our hills and in our valleys in 1840 They 
consisted of stone tomahawks, darts, arrows 
and flints 

Prior to and during 1840 a form of legal- 
ized slavery was practiced in this state and 
county, in regard to minor children Poor 
or destitute children were "bound out," or 
indentured, by the poor overseers, to mas- 
ters or mistresses, boys until they were 21 
years of age and girls until they were 1« 
Parents exercised this privilege also All 
apprentices were then bound to mechanics 
to learn trades. The period of this inden- 
ture was three years The law was severe 
on the children, and in favor of the master 
or mistress Under these conditions cruel- 
ties were practiced, and children and ap- 
prentices tried to escape them Of course 
there were bad children who ran away from 
kind masters and mistresses The master 
or mistress usually advertised these runa- 
ways 1 have seen many of these in our 
papers. I reprint one of these advertise- 
ments, taken from the Gnzetteand Columbian, 
published by J Croll & Co , at Kittanning, 
Armstrong county, Pa , on August 8, 1832. 



17 



$5 Reward. 

RUN away from the subscriber living in the bor- 
ough of Kittanning, on the 22d inst., an indented 
apprentice lo the Tailoring business, named Henry 
P. Huffman, between 18 or 19 years of age, stout 
made and black hair, had on when he went away a 
light cotton roundabout, and pantaloons of the 
same, and a new fur hat. Whoever apprehends the 
said runaway and delivers him to the subscriber in 
Kittanning shall recdve the above reward. 
Kittanning, July 25, 1832. John Williams. 

In the 40's the election for Stateofficers was 
held on the 2d Tuesday of Octoher ot each 
year, and in the ahsence of telegraphs, rail- 
roads, etc , it took about four weeks to hear 
any definite result from an election, and 
then the result was published with a tail 
to it— "Pike, Potter, McKean and Jeffer- 
son to hear from " It is amusing to re- 
call the reason usually given for a defeat 
at these elections by the unsuccessful party. 
It was this : "The day was fine and clear, 
a good day for threshing buckwheat; there- 
fore our voters failed to turn out." The 
editor of the defeated party always pub- 
lished this poetic stanza for the consolation 
of his friends : 

Truth crtishpd to earth will rise again, 
Tne eternal years of God are hers, 

While error, wounded, writhes in pain, 
And tlii s amidst, her worshipers. 

In a presidential contest we never knew 
the result with any certainty until the 4th 
of March, or inauguration day. 

In 1840, according to the census, the 
United States contained a population of 
17,062,666 people, of which 2,487,113 were 
slaves. The employments of the people 
were thus divided : Agriculture, 3,717,756; 
commerce, 117,575; manufactures and 
trades, 791,545; navigating the ocean, 
56,025; navigating rivers, canals, &c, 
33,067; mining, 15,203; learned profes- 
sions, 65,236. 

The Union then consisted of twenty-six 
States, and we had 223 congressmen. The 
ratio of population for a congressman was 
70,680. In this computation five slaves 
would count as three white men, although 
the slaves were not allowed to vote. Our 



territories were populated thus: District 
of Columbia, 43,712; Florida, 54,477; Wis- 
consin, 30,945; Iowa, 43,112. The chief 
cities and towns were thus populated: 



Mew York 312,710 

Philadelphia 228,691 

Baltimore 102,313 

New Orleans 102.193 

Boston 93,393 

Cincinnati 46.338 

Brooklyn 35 234 

Albany 33,721 

Charleston 29.261 

Washington, 23,364 

Providence 23,171 



Louisville 21,210 

Pittsburgh 21,115 

Lowell 20,796 

Rochester 20,191 

Richmond- 20,133 

Buffalo 18,210 

Newark 17,293 

St. Louis 16,469 

Portland 15,218 

Salem 16,083 

Brookville 276 



Household or family goods were produced 
in 1840 to the amount of $29,230,380. 

Total amount of capital employed in 
manufactures, $267, 726, 579. 

The whole expenses of the Revolutionary 
war were estimated, in specie, at $135,- 
193,703. 

In 1840 it was the custom for newspapers 
to publish in one of their issues, after the 
adjournment of the legislature, a complete 
list by title of all the enactments of that 
session. 

In 1840 "shingle weavers" brought their 
shingles to Brookville to barter. A shingle 
weaver was a man who did not steal tim- 
ber; he only went into the pine woods and 
there cut the clearest and best tree he could 
find, and hauled it home to his shanty in 
blocks, and there split and shaved the 
blocks into shingles He bartered his 
shingles in this way: He would first have 
his gallon or two gallon jug filled with 
whisky, then take several pounds of Balti- 
more plug tobacco, and then have the 
balance coming to him apportioned in New 
Orleans molasses, flitch and flour. Many 
a barter of this kind have I billed when 
acting as clerk. 

Timothy Pickering & Co.. Leroy & Link- 
lain, Welhelm Willink, Jeremiah Parker, 
Holland Land Co., Robert Morris, Robert 
Gilmore, William Bingham, John Nichol- 
son, Dr. William Cathcart, Dr. James 
Hutchison, and a few others owned about 
all the land in Jefferson county. This goes 



18 



a great length to disprove the demagogery 
you hear so much nowadays about the r ew 
owning and gobbling up all the land. How 
man j' people own a piece of Jefferaon county 
to-day ? 

In 1H40 tlie only newspaper published in 
Jefferson county, was the Backwoodsman, 
published in Brookville by Thomas Hast- 
ings & Son. Captain John Hastings, who 
is still living in Punxsutawney, was the 
Son. The terms of this paper were one dol- 
lar and seventy-five cents in advance, two 
dollars if paid within the year, and two 
dollars and fifty cents if not paid within 
the year. Hastings & Son sold the paper 
to William Jack. Jack rented the paper 
to a practical printer by the name of Geo. 
F. Humes, who continued the publication 
until after the October election, in 1848, 
when he announced in an editorial that his 
patrons might go to h — 11 and be would go 
to Texas. Barton T. Hastings then bought 
and assumed control of the paper, and pub- 
lished it uutil lH4(i as the Brookville Jeffer- 
nonian Mr. Hastings is still living in 
Brookville. 

I reprint here a large portion of the pro- 
ceedings of an old-time celebration of the 
Fourth of July in 1843, in Brookville. We 
copy from the Backwoodsman, dated August 
1st, 1843, then edited by Geo. F. Humes. 
The editorial article in the ackwoodsman 
is copied entire. The oration of 1). S. Deer- 
ing, all the regular toasts, and part of the 
volunteer toasts are omitted because of 
their length. Editor Hurnes's article was 
headed, 

FOURTH OF JULY CELEBRATION. 

The citizens of Brookville, and vicinity, 
celebrated the 67th anniversary of American 
Independence in a spirited and becoming 
manner. The glorious day was ushered in 
by the tiring of cannon and ringingof bells. 
At an early hour the ' 'Independent Greens, 
commanded by Captain Hugh Brady, formed 
into parade order, making a line appear- 



ance, and marched through the principal 
streets, cheering and enlivening the large 
body of spectators, whose attention ap- 
peared to be solely drawn to their skillful 
rehearsals of military tactics ; and, after 
spending some time in a course of drilling, 
joined the large assembly, without dis- 
tinction of party or feeling, under the organ- 
ization and direction of John McCrea,'Esq., 
president of the day j and Samuel B. Bishop 
and Col. Thomas Wilkins, marshals: when 
they proceeded to the court house, where 
the Declaration of Independence was read 
in a clear and impressive tone by L. B. 
Dunham, Esq., after which David S. Deer- 
ing, Esq., delivered an address very appro- 
priate to the occasion, touching with point 
and pathos upon the inducements which 
impelled our fathers to raise the flag of war 
against the mother country. The company 
then formed into line, and proceeded to the 
hotel of Mr. George McLaughlin, at the 
head of Main street, where they sat down 
to a well-served, delicious and plentiful 
repast, the ladies forming a smiling and 
interesting "platoon' - on one side of the 
table, which added much to the hilarity 
of the celebration. After the cloth was 
removed, and the president and committees 
had taken their seats, a number of toasts 
applicable to the times, and as varied in 
sentiment as the ages of the multitude, 
were offered and read, accompanied by re- 
peated cheering and a variety of airs from 
the brass band — thus passing the day in 
that union and harmony so characteristic 
of Americans. It was indeed a "Union 
celebration." 

VOLUNTEER TOASTS. 

By John McCrea. — Our Brookville Cele- 
bration — A union of parties, a union of 
feeling, the union established by our revo- 
lutionary fathers of '?(i — may union con- 
tinue to mark our course until time shall 
be no more. 



19 



By W. W. Corbet, — Liberty, regulated 
by law, and law by the virtues of Ameri- 
can legislators. 

By Win. B. Wilkins.— Henry Clay— A 
man of tried principles, of admitted com- 
petency, and unsullied integrity — may he 
be the choice of the people for the next 
presidency in 1844. 

By Evans R. Brady.— The Democrats of 
the Erie District — A form, locked up in the 
chase of disorganization; well squabbled at 
one side by the awkward formation of the 
district. If not locked, tight by the side- 
sticks of regular nominations, well driven by 
the quoins of unity, and knocked in by the 
sheep's foot of pure principles, it will be 
battered by the points of whiggery, bit by 
the frisket of self-interest; and when the 
foreman comes to lift it on the second Tues- 
day of October, will stand a fair chance to 
be knocked into pi 

By Michael Woods. — Richard M. John- 
ston of Kentucky — A statesman who has 
been long and thoroughly tried, and never 
found wanting: his nomination for the 
next presidency will still the angry waves 
of political strife, and the great questions 
which now agitate the nation will be set- 
tled upon democratic principles. 

By Hugh Brady. — They Citizens of Jef- 
ferson County — They have learned their 
political rights by experience; let them 
practice the lesson with prudence. 

By B. T. Hastings.— The Hon. James 
Buchanan — The Jefferson of Pennsylvania, 
and choice for the presidency in 1844; his 
able and manly course in the United States 
Senate on all intricate and important sub- 
jects entitles him to the entire confidence 
and support of the whole democracy. 

By Andrew Craig. — Henry Clay — A 
worthy and honest statesman, who has the 
good of his country at heart, and is well 
qualified to fill the presidential chair. 

By A. Hutcheson. — American Independ- 
ence — A virtuous old maid, sixty-eight 
vears old to-day. Cod bless her. 



By David S. Deering.— The Declaration 
of Independence — A rich legacy, bequeathed 
us by our ancestors; may it be transmitted 
from one generation to another, until time 
shall be no more. 

By the Company. — The Orator of the 
Day, David S. Deering — May his course 
through life be as promising as his com- 
mencement. 

By D. S. Deering. — The Mechanics of 
Brookville— Their structures are enduring 
monuments of skill, industry and perse- 
verance. 

By George F. Humes. — The American 
Union — A well adjusted form of twenty-six 
pages, fairly locked up in the chase of preci- 
sion by the quoins of good workmen; may 
their proof sheets he well pointed, and their 
regular impressions a perfect specimen for the 
world to look upon. 

By John Hastings. — James Buchanan — 
The able defender of the rights of the peo- 
ple, and the high wages candidate for the 
presidency in 1844; his elevation to that 
post is now without a doubt. 

In 1840 the mails were carried on horse- 
back or in stage coaches. Communications 
of news, business or affection were slow and 
uncertain. There were no envelopes for 
letters. Each letter had to be folded so as 
to leave the outside blank, and one side 
smooth, and the address was written on 
this smooth side. Letters were sealed 
with red wafers, and the postage was 6\ 
cents for every hundred miles, or fraction 
thereof, over which it was carried in the 
mails. The postage on a letter to Phila- 
delphia was 18J cents, or three "fippenny 
bits." You could mail your letter with- 
out prepaying the postage, (which was a 
great advantage to economical people), or 
you could prepay it at your option. Post- 
age stamps were unknown. When you 
paid the postage the postmaster stamped 
on the letter "Paid." When the postage 
was to be paid by the person addressed the 
postmaster marked on it the amount due, 
thus- "Due 6\ cents." 



20 

House furniture was then meager, and The candles used in our houses were 

rough. We had split-bottom chairs, and either "dips" or "moulds. - ' The "dips" 

rope-corded bedsteads. There were no were made by twisting and doubling a 

window blinds, and but lew carpets. Well- number of cotton wicks upon a round, 

to-do people whitewashed their ceilings and smooth stick at a distance from each other 

rooms. No papering was done. Mrs of about the desired thickness of the candle. 

Winslow's Soothing Syrup and baby car- Then they w ere dipped into a kettle of 

riages were unknown. Food was scarce, melted tallow, when the ends of the sticks 

coarse, and of the most common kind, with were hung on the backs of chairs to cool, 

no canned goods or evaporated fruits. To- The dipping and cooling process was thus 

matoes were not eaten, and neither ice nor repeated till the "dips" attained the proper 

refrigerators were known in domestic life thickness. This work was done after the fall 

No napkins were used, no machine-made hutchering. "Moulds" were made in tin or 

pins, and no blotting paper. There were pewter tubes, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 or 12 in a frame, 

no analine dyes, no electric lights, no anes- joined together, the upper part of the frame 

thetics and painless surgery, no gun cotton, forming a trough, into which the moulds 

no nitroglycerine, pneumatic tubes, or type opened, and from which they received the 

writers, no cooling soda water, or ice cream, melted tallow. To make the candles, as 

and no garden hose. There were no plant- many wicks as there were tubes were 

ing machines, no mower or reaper, no hay doubled over a small round stick placed 

rake or hay fork, no corn sheller, no rotary across the top of the frame, and these wicks 

printing press, no sewing maching, no India were passed down through the tubes and 

rubber coats, or shoes, no grain elevator ex- fastened at the lower end. Melted tallow 

cept man, no artificial ice, no steel pens, was poured into the trough at the top till 

no telegraph or telephone, no street cars, all the tubes were filled. The moulds were 

no steam mills, no daguerreotypes or photo- usually allowed to stand over night before 

graphs, no steam plows, no steam thresher the candles were "drawn." The posses- 

— only the old flail. No ocean steamships, sion of a set of candle moulds by a family 

no elevated railroads, no ocean cables, no was an evidence of some wealth. These 

phonographs, no steam lire engines, no candles were burned in "candlesticks," 

audiphones, no electric motors, no electro- made of tin, iron or brass, and each one 

plating, no vestibule cars, and not half a had a broad, flat base, turned up around 

dozen millionaires in the United States, the rim to catch the grease. Sometimes, 

Pitch-pine knots, tallow dipped candles when the candle was exposed to a current 

burned in iron or brass candlesticks, or on of air, it would "gutter" all away. A pair 

blocks of wood with nails driven in them of "snuffers," made of iron or brass, was a 

so as to hold the candle, and whale oil necessary article in every house, and had 

burned in iron lamps, were the means for to be used frequently to cut away the 

light in stores, dwellings, etc. And most charred or burned wick. Candles sold in 

of the great discoveries of the last fifty years the stores at 12 to 15 cents per pound One 

were either made or perfected by Americans, candle was the number usually employed 

in 1840 nearly half of our American peo- to read or write by. and two were generally 

pie could neither read nor write, and less deemed sufficient to light a store— one to 
than half of them had the opportunity or , . , ,, ... , , ., 

. ,,• .. , , vr ' carry around to do the selling by, and the 

inclination to do so. Newspapers were ' & ' 

small affairs, ami the owners of them were other t() stand on 1,H ' ,kjsk to ,lu the charge 

poor, and their business unprofitable. ing by. 



Watches wen- rare, and clocks were not 
numerous in 1840. The watches I remem- 
ber seeing in those days were "English 
levers." and ' 'cylinder escapements, " with 
some old "'bull eyes." The clocks in use 
were of the eight-day sort, with works of 
wood, run by weights instead of springs. 
Somewhere along in the forties clocks with 
brass works, called the "brass clock," came 
into use. A large majority of people were 
without "timepieces." Evening church 
services were announced thus: "There will 

be preaching in this house on evening, 

God willing, and no preventingprovidence, 
at early candle-lighting." 

In 1^40 the judge of our court was Alex- 
ander McCalmont, of Franklin, Venango 
county. Gur associate judges from 1H41 to 
1843 were James Winslow and James L. 
Gillis. Our local or home lawyers were 
Hugh Brady, Cephas J. Dunham. Benj. 
Bartholamew, Caleb A. Alexander, L. B. 
Dunham. Richard Arthurs, Elijah Heath, 
D. J!. Jenlcs, Thomas Lucas. D. S. Deering, 
S. B. Bishop, and Jesse G. Clark. Many 
very eminent lawyers from adjoining coun- 
ties attended our courts regularly at this 
period. They usually came on horseback, 
and brought their papers, Arc., in large 
leather saddlebags. Most of these foreign 
lawyers were very polite gentlemen, and 
very particular not to refuse a "drink." 

Elijah Graham was our first court crier, 
but I think Cyrus Butler served in this 
capacity in 1840. 

In 1840 there was no barber shop in the 
town. The tailors then cut hair, &c, for 
the people as an accommodation. My 
mother used to send me for that purpose to 
McCreight's tailor shop. The first barber 
to locate in Brookville was a colored man 
named Nathan Smith. He harbered and 
ran a confectionery and oyster saloon. He 
lived here for a number of years, but finally 
turned preacher and moved away. Some 
high old times occurred in his back" room. 



which 1 had better not mention here. Hu 
operated on the Major Rodgers lot, now the 
Eddleblute property. 

Then "Hollow Eve." as it was called, 
was celebrated regularly on the night of 
the 31st of ( )ctober every year. The amount 
of malicious mischief and destruction that 
was done on that evening in Brookville, and 
patiently suffered and overlooked, is really 
indescribable. 

The first exclusively drug store in Brook- 
ville was opened and managed by D. S. 
Deering. Esq., in 1849. It was located in 
a building where MeKnight ec Bro's build- 
ing now stands, on the spot where Mc- 
Knight & Son canyon their drug business. 
The first exclusively grocery store in 
Brookville was opened and owned by 
W. W. Corbet, and was located in the east 
room of the American Hotel. The first 
exclusively hardware store in the town was 
opened and owned by John S. King, now 
of Clearfield, Pa. Brookville owes much 
to the sagacity of Mr. King for our beauti- 
ful cemetery. 

In the forties, the boring of pitch pine 
into pump logs was quite a business in 
Brookville. One of the first persons to 
work at this was Charles P. Merrinian. 
who moved here from the East. By the 
way. Merrinian was the greatest snare- 
drummer I eVer heard. He also manu- 
factured and repaired drums while here. 
He had a drum-beat peculiarly his own, 
and with i! he could drown out a whole 
band. He introduced his beat by teaching 
drumming schools. It is the beat of the 
I Sow dishes, the Bartletts. and the Schnells. 
It consists of single and double drags. I 
never heard this beat in the army or in any 
other locality than here, and only from 
persons who had directly or indirectly 
learned it from .Merrinian. Any old citi- 
zen can verity the marvelous and wonder- 
ful power and skill of Merrinian with a 
drum. No pupil of his here ever ap- 



proacbed him in skill. Thenearest to him 
was the late Capt. John Dowling of the 
105th Regiment. Pa. Vols. It was the cus- 
tom then fox the different bands in the 
surrounding townships to attend the Fourth 
of July celebrations in Brookville. The 
Monger hand, father and sons, from War- 
saw township, used to come. They had a 
peculiar, open heat, that old Mr. Monger 
called the 1812 beat. The Belleview hand 
came also. It was the Campbell band, 
father and sons. Andrew C. and James, 
after going through the war, are still able 
on our public occasions to enliven us with 
martial strains. The Lucas band, from 
Dowlingville, visited us also in the forties. 
Brookville had a famous lifer, in the person 
of Harvey Clover. He always carried an 
extra fife in his pocket, because he was apt 
to burst one. When he "bkrwed" the fife 
you would have thought the devil was in 
it sure. 

In 1840 the town had water works — the 
enterprise of Judge Jared B. Evans. The 
spring that furnished the water was what 
is now known as the American Spring. 
The conduit pipes were bored yellow pine 
logs, and the plant was quite expensive, 
but owing to some trouble about the tan- 
nery, which stood on the spot where the 
American barn now stands, the water plant 
was destroyed. Judge Evans was a useful 
citizen. He died some three years ago. 

In 1840 ths church collection was either 
taken up in a hat with a hankerchief in it. 
or in a little bag attached to a pole. 

H. Clay Campbell, Esq., has kindly fur- 
nished me the legal rights of married women 
in Pennsylvania from 1840 until the present 
date. The common law was adopted by 
Pennsylvania, and has governed all rights 
except those which may have been modified 
from tinieto time by statute. Blackstone's 
Commentaries. Book 1, page 44\J, says: 
By marriage, the husband and wife are one 
person in law; that is, the verj being or 



legal existence of the woman is suspended 
during the marriage, or at least is incor- 
porated and consolidated into that of her 
husband — under whose wing, protection 
and cover she performs everything. 

You see the rights surrendered by a wom- 
an marrying under the common law were 
two: First, the right to make a contract: 
second, the right to property and her own 
earnings. To compensate for this she ac- 
quired one right — the right to be chastised. 
For as the husband was to answer for her 
misbehavior, the law thought it reasonable 
to intrust him with the power of restrain- 
ing her, by domestic chastisement, with 
the same moderation that a man is allowed 
to correct his apprentice or children 

In 1840 married women had no right to 
the property bequeathed to them by their 
parents, unless it was put into the hands of 
a trustee, and by marriage the husband 
became the immediate and absolute owner 
of the personal property of the wife, which 
she had in possession at the time of mar- 
riage, and this property could never again 
revert to the wife or her representatives. 
She could acquire no personal property 
during marriage by industry, and if she 
obtained any by gift or otherwise, it be- 
came immediately by and through the law 
the property of her husband. This condi- 
tion prevailed until the passage of an act. 
dated 11th of April, 184H, which in some 
slight degree modified this injustice of the 
common law*. By that act it was provided 
that all property which belonged to her 
before marriage, as well as all that might 
accrue to her afterwards, should remain 
her property. Then came another modifi- 
cation by the act of 1855, which provided 
among other things, that "whenever a hus- 
band, from drunkenness, profligacy, orother 
cause, shall neglect or refuse to provide for 
his wife, she shall have the rights and privi- 
leges secured to afeme-sole trader under the 
act of 1718.' 1 Modifications have been 



23 



made from year to year, granting)additional 
privileges to a wife to manage her own 
property, among which may be noted the 
act of 1871, enabling her to sell and trans- 
fer shares of the stock of a railroad com- 
pany. By the act of May, 1874, she may 
draw checks upon a bank. During all 
these years of enlightenment the master has 
still held the wife in the toils of bondage, 
and it was with great grudging that he 
acknowledged that a married woman had 
the right to claim anything. The right to 
the earnings of the wife received its first 
modification when the act of April, 1872, 
was passed, which granted to the wife, if 
she went into court, and the court granted 
her petition, the right to claim her earn- 
ings. But legally the wife remained the 
most abject of slaves until the passage of 
the "married woman's personal property 
act" of 1887, giving and granting to her 
the right to contract and acquire property; 
and it was not until 1893 that she was 
granted the same rights as an unmarried 
woman, excepting as to her right to convey 
her real estate, make a mortgage, or become 
bail 

The higher education of women in the 
seminary and college is of American origin, 
ami in 1*40 there was an occasional young 
ladies' seminary here and there throughout 
the country. These isolated institutions 
were organized and carried on by scattered 
individuals who had great persistency and 
courage. Being of American origin its 
greatest progress has been here, and at 
present there are more than 200 institutions 
for the superier education of women in the 
United States, and fully one half of these 
bear the name of college. The women who 
graduate to-day from colleges and high 
schools outnumber the men, and as a result 
of this mental discipline and training wom- 
en are now found throughout the world in 
every profession, in all trades, and in every 
vocation. 



Preferring sense from chin that's bare 
To nonsense 'throned in whisker'd hair. 

Women are now admitted to the bar in 
nine different States of the Union, and by 
an act of Congress she may now practice 
before the United States supreme court. 

In 1«40 women had but one vocation for 
a livelihood, viz, marriage and housekeep- 
ing. Then female suffrage Avas unknown. 
To-day women vote on an equality with 
men in two states. Colorado and Wyoming, 
and they can vote in a limited form in 
twenty other states and territories. 

In 1840 women had no religious rights. 
She did not dare to speak, teach or pray in 
public, and if she desired any knowledge 
in this direction she was admonished to ask 
her husband at home. The only exception 
I know to th's rule was in the Methodist 
church, which from its organization has 
recognized the right of women to teach, 
speak in class meetings, and to pray in the 
public prayer meeting 

in 1840 women had no industrial rights. 
I give below a little abstract from the cen- 
sus of 1880, fourteen years ago, which will 
show what some of our women were work- 
ingat then and are working atnow : 

FEMALE WORKERS. 

Artists. 2,010: authors. 320: assayists. 
chemists and architects, 2,136; barbers. 
2,902; dressmakers, 281,928; doctors, 2,433; 
journalists. 238; lawyers, 75; musicians, 
13,181; preachers. 165; printers, 3,456; 
tailors. 52.098; teachers, 194,375; nurses. 
12,294; stockraisers, 216; farmers, 56,809; 
in government employ as clerks, 2,171: 
managing commercial and industrial inter- 
ests, 14,465. And now in 1894 we have 
6,000 postmistresses. 10,500 women have 
secured patents for inventions, and 300,000 
women are in gainful occupations. I con- 
fess that this statement looks to the intelli- 
gent mind as though ■"the hand that rocks 
the cradle" will soon not only move but 
own the world. 



24 

The earliest schools established by the Thefirsf school master in Jefferson county 
settlers of Pennsylvania, wen- the home was .John Dixon. His first term was for 
school, the church school, and the public three months, and was in the year 1803 or 
subscription school, the most simple and 1804. The firs! school house was built on 
primitive in style. The subscription or the Ridgway road, two miles from Brook- 
public school remained in force until the ville, on the faim now owned by 1>. B. 
law of 1809 was enacted, which was in- McConnell. 1 give Prof. Blose's deserip- 
tended for a State system, and which pro- tion of this school house: 
vided a means of education for the poor, "The house was built of rough logs, and 
but retained the subscription character of had neither window sash nor pane. The 
pay for the rich. This 1809 system re- light* was admitted through chinks in the 
mained in force until 1834. The method wall, over which greased paper was 
of hiring '•masters" for a subscription pasted. The floor was made with puncheons, 
school was as follows : A meeting was and the seats from broad pieces split from 
called by public notice in a district. At logs, with pins in the under side, for legs. 
this gathering the people chose, in their Boards laid on pins fastened in the wall 
own way, three of their number to act as a furnished the pupils with writing desks, 
school committee. This committee hired A log fireplace, the entire length of one end. 
the master and exercised a superintendence supplied warmth when the weather was 
over the school. The master was paid by cold." 

the patrons of the school, in proportion to The era of these log school houses in .)l'{- 

the number of days each had sent a child ferson county is gone — gone forever. We 

to school. A rate bill was made out by have now school property to the value of 

the master and given to the committee. $269,300.00. We have 196 modern school 

who collected the tuition money and paid houses, with 262 school rooms. 295 schools. 

it to themaster. The terms of these schools and the Bibleis read in 251 of these. There 

were irregular, but usually were tor three is no more master's call in the school room, 

months. hut we have 131 female and 149 male teach- 

The studies pursued were spelling, read- ers — a total of 280 teachers in the county. 

ing, writing and arithmetic. The daily The average yearly term is 6£ months. The 

programme was two or four reading lessons, average salary for male teachers is $39.50, 

two spelling lessons — one at noon and one and for female teachers ^:>o. Total wages 

at evening — the rest of the time being de- received by teachers each year, §564,913.20. 

voted to writing and doing '•.sums" in arith- Number of female scholars, 5,839; number 

untie. It was considered at that time of male scholars, (i.OTij. The amount of 

(and even as late as my early schooling) tax levied for school purposes is $56, 688. 23. 

that it was useless and foolish for a girl to Received by county from State appropria- 

learn more at school than to spell, read and tion. $4"2.75!).72. 

write, of course there was no uniformity The act of 1809 made it the duty of as 

in, text hooks. The child took to (lie school sessors to receive the names of all children 

whatever hook he had. hence there was. and between the ages of live and twelve sears. 

could be, no classification. Blackboards whose parents were unable to pay for their 

were unknown. When any information schooling, and these poor children were to 

was wanted about a ••sum." the scholar be educated by the county. This law was 

either called the master or took his book very unpopular and the schools did not 

ami went to him. prosper. The rich were opposed to this 



25 

law because they paid all the tax bills, and large number by the master. Other ami 

the poor were opposed to it because it ere- milder modes of punishment were in vogue, 

ated a "caste" and designated them as such as the dunce block, sitting with the 

paupers. However, it remained in force girls, pulling the ears, and using the ferule 

for about twenty-five years, and during this on the hands and sometimes on where you 

period the light over it at elections caused sit down, 

many strifes, fueds, and bloodynoses. This What is man, 

was the first step taken by the State to If his chief good and market for his time 

evolve our present free school system. The Be but t0 slee P aml leed? A beast - no ,uore - 

money to pay for the education of these In 1840 the country master boarded round 

"pauper" children was drawn from the with the scholars, and he was always given 

county in this way : "The assessor of each the best bed in the house, and was usually 

borough or township returned the names fed on doughnuts and pumpkin pie at every 

of such indigent children to the county meal. He called the school to order by 

commissioners, and then an order was drawn rapping on his desk with his ferule. 

by the commissioners on the county treasurer During fche twenty . five years of the exist . 
for the tuition monev " 



>> 



ence of the pauper schools, the agitation 
One of the most desirable qualifications for a better system was continually kept up 
in the early schoolmaster was courage, and by isolated individuals. This was done in 
willingness and ability to control and flog various ways, at elections, in toasts to a 
boys. Physical force was the governing "Free School System" at Fourth of July 
power, and the master must possess it. celebrations, and in conventions of direct- 
Nevertheless, many of the early masters rs. The first governor who took a decided 
were men of intelligence, refinement, and stand in favor of the common schools, was 
scholarship. As a rule the Scotch-Irish John A. Shultze. He advocated it in his 
master was of this class. Goldsmith de- message in 1828. Gov. Wolf, in 1833, found 
srribes the old master well : that out of four hundred thousand school 
He was kindly, and if severe in aught, children of the legal age, twenty thousand 
The love he bore to learning was in fault. attended school — that three hundred and 
The village all declared how much he knew, eighty thousand were yearly uninstructed. 

'Twas eeitain he could write and cipher too. mi, -__+y,__ ;„ !,•_ „,„„„„„„ 4.„4.i i ■ i , 

', 1 herelore, in his message to the legislature. 
In arguing the parson owned Ins skill, ° 

For e'en tho' vanquished he would argue still. lle strongly recommended the passage of a 

law to remedy this state of affairs. Wra . Aud- 

enreid, a senator from Schuylkill county, 

introduced a bill during the session of the 

legislature of 1833, which became what is 

no buzzing — and the punishment for sup- , ,, , . , »..,-.„,/, 

,,.,,. . a . , -, known as the school law of 1834 — the es- 

posed or real disobedience, inflicted on .... . ~ ., , 

, , , „ , . . tablishment of the common school system, 

scholars before, up to, and even in my time „ „ . . , , „ , ,. . , . 

, ' . ., Our first superintendent of public instruction 

was cruel and brutal. One punishment 

, , . , , , ,, ,, , was appointed under this law. His name 

was to tie scholars up by the thumbs, sus- 1 1 

pending them in this way over a door. was Thomas H. Burrows. The first State 

"Spare the rod and spoil the child," was aid for schools in Jefferson county was in 

the master's slogan. Whippings were fre- 1835, and through Mr. Burrows. The 

quent, severe, and sometimes brutal, amount received was one hundred and four 

Thorn, birch, and other rods were kept in dollars and ninety-four cents. 



The government of the early masters was 
of the most rigorous kind. Perfect quiet 
had to be maintained in the school room — 



:W 



"Barring the master out" of the school 
room on Christmas and New Years was a 
custom in vogue in 1840: The barringwas 
always doneby four or five determined boys. 
The contest between the master and these 
scholars was sometimes severe and pro- 
tracted — the master being determined to 
get into the school room and these boys de- 
termined to keep him out. The object on 
the part of the scholars in this barring out 
was to compel the master to treat the 
school. If the master obtained possession 
of the school room, by force or strategy, he 
generally gave the boys a sound flogging; 
but if the boys "held the fort," it resulted 
in negotiations for peace, and in the master 
eventually signing an agreement in writing 
to treat the school to apples, nuts, or candy. 
It took great nerve on the part of the boys 
to take this stand against a master. I know 
this, as I have been active in some of these 
contests. 

In 1840 a woman could teach an A, B, C, 
or "a-b ab" school in summer, but the man 
that desired to teach a summer school was 
a lazy, worthless, good-for-nothing fellow. 
Cyrus Crouch taught the first term in Brook - 
ville under the common school law of 1834. 

In the forties the school books in use 
were the New England Primer, Webster's 
Spelling Book, Cobb's Spelling Book, the 
English Reader, the New England Header. 
the Testament and Bible, the Mate Braun 
Geography. Olney's Geography. Pike's 
Arithmetic, the Federal Calculator, the 
Western Calculator. Murray's Grammar. 
Kirkliam's Grammar, and Walker's Dic- 
tionary. A scholar who had gone through 
the Single Pule of Three in the Western 
Calculator was considered educated. Our 
present copy-books were unknown. A 
copy-book was then made of six sheets of 
foolscap paper stitched together. The copies 
were set by the master after school hours, 
at whicb time lie usually made and mended 
the school pens for the next day. Our 



pens were made of noose quills, and it was 
the duty of the master to learn each scholar 
how to make or mend a goose-quill pen. 
One of the chief delights of a mischievous 
boy in those days was to keep a master 
busy mending his pens. 

The first school house in Brookville that 
I recollect of was a little brick on the alley 
on the northeast side of the American Hotel 
lot. Mrs. Pearl Roundy was the first 
teacher that I went to. She taught in this 
house. She was much beloved by the 
whole town. I afterwards went to the late 
Paul Darling and others in this same house. 

When the first appropriation of seventy- 
five thousand dollars was made by our 
State tor the common schools, a debt of 
twenty-three million doliars rested on the 
commonwealth. A great many good, con- 
servative men opposed this appropriation, 
and "predicted bankruptcy from this new 
form of extravagance." But the great 
debt has been all paid ; the expenses of the 
war for the Union have been met; and now 
the annual appropriation for our schools 
has been raised to live and a half million 
dollars. This amount due the schools for 
the year ending June 5th, 1893, was all 
paid on November 1st, 1893, and our State 
treasurer had deposits still left, lying idle, 
in forty-six of our banks, amounting to six 
and a half million dollars, which should 
have been appropriated for school purposes. 
and not kept lying idle. This additional 
appropriation would 'nave greatly relieved 
the people from oppressive taxation during 
these hard times. 

The act of May 18th, 1893, completes 
the evolution in our school system, from 
the early home, the chureh, the subscrip- 
tion, the 1809 pauper, the 1834 common, 
into the now people's or free school system. 

This free school is our nation's hope. 
Our great manufacturing interests attract 
immigrants to our land in large num- 
bers, and to thoroughly educate their 



27 



children and form in them the true Ameri- 
can mind, and to prevent these children 
from drifting into the criminal classes, will 
task to the utmost all the energies, privi- 
leges and blessed conditions of our present 
free schools. In our free schools of Penn- 
sylvania the conditions are now equal. 
The child of the millionaire, the mechanic, 
the widow and the day laborer, all stand 
on the same plane. We have now for the 
first time in the history of our State, free 
school houses, free desks, free fuel, free 
blackboards, free maps, free teachers, free 
books, free paper, free pens, free ink, free 
slates, free pencils, free sponges, and free 
schools. 

In 1840 our houses and hotels were never 
locked at night. This was from careless- 
ness, or perhaps thought to be unnecessary. 
But every store window was provided with 
heavy outside shutters, which were care- 
fully closed, barred or locked even 7 night 
in shutting up. 

Then every merchant in Brookville was 
forced, as a matter of protection, to sub- 
scribe for and receive ;; weekly bank note 
deteeter. These periodicals were issued to 
subscribers for two dollars and fifty cents 
a year. This journal gave a weekly report 
of all broken banks, the discount on all 
good bank notes, as well as points for the 
detection of counterfeit notes and coin. 
The coin department in the journal had 
wood cut pictures of all the foreign and 
native silver and gold coins, and also gave 
the value of each. 

Money was scarce then, and merchants 
were compelled to sell their goods on credit, 
and principally for barter. The commo- 
dities that were exchanged for in Brook- 
ville stores were boards, shingles, square- 
timber, wheat, rye. buckwheat, flaxseed, 
clover seed, timothy seed, wool, rags, bees- 
wax, feathers, hickory nuts, chestnuts, 
hides, deer pelts, elderberries, furs, road 
orders, school and county orders, eggs, but- 



ter, tow cloth, linen cloth, ax handles, 
raiting bows and pins, rafting grubs, maple 
sugar in the spring, and oats after harvest. 

In those days everybody came to court, 
either on business or to see and be seen. 
Tuesday was the big day. The people 
came on horseback or on foot. We had no 
book store in town, and a man named 
Ingram, from Meadville, came regularly 
every court and opened up his stock in the 
barroom of a hotel. An Irishman by the 
name of Hugh Miller came in the same way 
and opened his jewelry and spectacles in 
the hotel barroom. This was the time lor 
insurance agents to visitour town. Robert 
Thorne was the first insurance agent who 
came here, at least to my knowledge. 

In 1840 every store n town kepi pure 
Monongahela whisky in a bucket, either 
on or behind the counter, with a tin cup in 
or over the bucket for customers to drink 
free of charge, early and often. Every 
store sold whisky by the gallon. Our mer- 
chants kept chip logwood by the barrel, 
and kegs of madder, alum, cobalt, copperas, 
indigo, &c, for women to use in coloring 
their homespun goods. Butternuts were 
used by the women to dye brown, peach 
leaves or smart weed for yellow, and cobalt 
for purple. Men's and women's clothing con- 
sisted principally of homespun, and home- 
spun underwear. Men and boys wore 
wanmsses, roundabouts and pants made of 
flannels, buckskin, Keiituck} 7 jean, blue 
drilling, tow, linen, satinet, bed ticking, 
and corduroy, with coonskin, sealskin, and 
cloth caps, and in summer oat straw, or 
chip hats. The dress suit was a blue broad- 
cloth swallow-tail coat with brass buttons, 
and a stovepipe hat. "Galluses" were 
made of listing, bedticking, orknit of woolen 
yarn. Women wore barred flannel, linsey- 
woolsey, tow and linen dresses. Six or 
eight yards of "Dolley Yard en" calico 
made a superb Sunday dress. Calico sold 
then for fifty cents a yard. Every home 



: 



had a spinning wheel, sonic families had 
two — a hig and little one. Spinning par- 
ties were in vogue, the women taking their 
wheels to a neighbor's house, remaining 
for supper, and after supper going home 
with their wheels on their arms. Wool 
carding was then done by hand and at 
home. Every neighborhood had several 
weavers, and they wove or customers at so 
much per yard. 

About 1840 Brook ville had a hatter, John 
Wynkoop. He made what was called 
wool hats. Those that were high-crowned 
or stovepipe Were wreath-bound with some 
kind of fur, perhaps rabbit fur. These 
hatters were common in those days. The 
sign was a stovepipe hat and a smoothing 
iron. There was a standing contest be- 
tween the tailors, hatters and printers in 
drinking whiskey. ( doctors barred. ) 

Then, too. coopers were common in every 
town. These coopers made tubs, buckets, 
and barrels, all of which were bound with 
hickory hoops. Ours was a Mr. Hewitt. 
His shop was on the alley, rear of the Com- 
mercial Hotel lot. These are now two lost 
industries. 

In 1840 there was but one dental college 
in the world — the Baltimore College of 
Dental Surgery, established in Baltimore, 
Md., in 1839 — the first dental college ever 
started. Up to and in that day dentistry 
was not a science, for it was practiced as an 
addenda by the blacksmith, barber, watch- 
maker and others. In the practice no 
anatomical or surgical skill was required. 
It was something that required muscular 
strength and manual dexterity in handling 
the '"turnkey.'* With such a clumsy, rude 
condition of dentistry, is it any wonder that 
Tom Moore wrote these lines : 
What pity blooming girl that lips so ready for a 

lover. 
Should not beneath their ruby casket cover one 

tooth of pearl, 
But like a rose beneath a churchyard stone, 
Be doomed to blush o'er many a mouldering bone. 



All the great discoveries and improve- 
ments in the science and art of dentistry 
as it is to-day. are American. Dentistry 
stands an American institution, not only 
beautified, but almost perfected upon a firm 
pedestal, a most noble science. Through 
the invention of Charles W. Peale, of Phil- 
adelphia, of porcelain teeth, our molars 
shall henceforth be white as with milk. If 
Moore lived to-day, under the condition of 
American dentistry, he might well exclaim 
in the language of Ackenside : 

What do I kiss? A woman's mouth, 

Sweetei than the spiced winds fro u i lie So'ith. 

In 17!)."). when Andrew Barnett, the first 

white settler in Jefferson county, trod on 
the ground where Brookville now stands, 
slavery existed throughout all Christendom. 
Millions of men. women, and children were 
held in the legal condition of horses and 
cattle. Worse than this, the African slave 
trade — a traffic so odious and so loudly re- 
proved and condemned by the laws of re- 
ligion and of nature — was carried on as a 
Legal right by slave dealers in and from 
every christian nation. The horror with 
which this statement of facts must strike 
you. is only proof that the love of gold and 
the power of evil in the world is most form- 
idable. The African slave trade was de- 
clared illegal and unlawful by England in 
1806-7. by the United States in 1808, by 
Denmark, Portugal and Chili in 1811. by 
Sweden in 1813, by Holland in 1814-15, 
by France in i 315, and by Spain in 1822. 

When Andrew- Barnett first trod the 
ground where Brookville now stands, the 
curse of slavery rested on Pennsylvania : 
for in that year 3,737 human beings were 
considered "property" within her borders, 
and held as slaves. 

In 1840 slavery still existed in Pennsyl- 
vania, the total number being seventy-five, 
distributed, according to the census of that 
year, as follows: Adams county 2. Beiks J. 
Cumberland 25, Lancaster 2, Philadelphia 



29 



2, York 1, Greene 1, Juniata 1. Luzerne 1. 
Mifflin 31, Union 3, Washington 2. West- 
moreland 1. Fayette 1. 

It will be seen there was no slave held 
or owned in Jefferson county. There is 
not to-day a slave in all Christendom — after 
a struggle of nearly two thousand years. 
"Little by litle the world grows strong, 

Fighting the t>atile of Right and Wrong 

Little liy little the Wrong gives way ; 

Little tiy little the Right has sway ; 

Little by little the s< eds we sow 

Into a beautiful yield will grow." 

In 1840, according to the census, there 

wen- fifty-seven colored people and no 
slaves in • Jefferson county. The most 
piominent of these colored people who lived 

in and around Brook\ille. were Charles 
Sutherland, called Black Charley ; Charles 
Anderson, called Yellow Charley : John 
Sweeney, called Black John, and GeoTge 
Hays, the tiddler. Charles Sutherland 
came to Jefferson county and settled near 
Brookville in 1812. He came from Vir- 
ginia, and was said to have held General 
Washington's horse at the laying of the 
corner stone of the national capitol at 
Washington. He was a very polite man. 
a hard drinker, reared a family, and died 
in 1852, at the advanced age of nearly one 
hundred years. 

Charley always wore a stovepipe hat 
with a colored cotton handkerchief in it. 
He loafed much in Clover's store. The late 
Daniel Smith was a young man then, and 
clerked in this store. Mr. Smith in his 
manhood built the property now owned 
and occupied by Harry Matson. Charley 
Sutherland, if he were living now, would 
make a good congressman, because he was 
good on appropriations. '- raeday there was 
no one in the store but Smith and Charlie. 
There was i a crock of eggs on the counter. 
Smith bad to go to the cellar, and left the 
store in the charge of Charlie. On return- 
ing he glanced in the direction of the eggs, 
and discovered that Charlie must have pil- 



fered about a dozen of them. Where were 
they V He surmised they must be in Char- 
lie's hat ; so stepping in front of Sutherland 
he brought his right fist heavily down on 
his hat, with the exclamation, "Why the 
h — 11 don't you wear your hat on your 
head ?' ' M ueh to the amusement of Smith 
and the discomfort of Sutherland, the blow 
broke all the eggs, and the white and yel- 
low contents ran down over Charlie's face 
and clothes, making a striking contrast 
with his sooty black face. 

The lives of many good men and women 
have been misunderstood and clouded by 
the thoughtless, unkind words and deeds 
of their neighbors. Good men and women 
have struggled hard and long, only to go 
down, down, poisoned and peisee;rttd all 
their days by the venomous and vicious 
slanders of their neighbors; while, strange 
to say. men and women who are guilty of all 
the vices, are frequently apologized for, 
respected and are great favorites with these 
same neighbors. 

Chiirles Anderson, or, as he was called, 
' • Yellow Charley, ' ' came to Brookville abou t 
1832. From his first entry into the town 
until his death he was a public and famil- 
iar character. A kind of family visitor. 
He was the pioneer coal merchant. He 
was the first man to mine, transport and 
sell coal in this city. He mined his coal 
on what is now the John Matson property. 
opposite Samuel Truby's, on the Sigel total. 
He dug this coal from the spring ravine where 
our school building receives its supply of 
water. The vein of this mine was about 
two feet thick. Anderson stripped the 
earth from the top of the vein, dug the coal 
tine, and transported it in a little, old, 
rickety one-horse wagon, offering, selling 
and retailing the coal at each family door 
in quantities of a peck, half-bushel and 
bushel. The price per bushel was 12* cents. 
I had a free pass on this coal line, and rode 
on it a great deal. To me it was a line of 



30 



".speed, safety and comfort." Anderson 
was a "Soft Coal King," a baron, a robber, 
a close eorporationist, a capitalist, and a 
monopolist. He managed his works gen- 
erally so as to avoid strikes, &c. Yet he 
had to assume the role of a Pinkerton or a 
coal policeman at one time, for "there was 
some litigation over the ownership of this 
coal bank, and Charley took his old flint- 
lock musket one day and swore he would 
just as soon die in the coal hank as any 
other place. He held the tort, too." 

Charley was a greatly at) used man. Ev- 
ery theft and nearly all outlawry was 
blamed on him. Public sentiment and 
public clamor was against him. He tried 
at times to be good, attend church, &c, 
but it availed him nothing, for he would be 
so coldly received as to force him back into 
his former condition. As the town grew, 
and other parties became engaged in m ning 
coal, Charley changed his business to that 
of water carrier, and hauled in Ins one- 
horse wagon washing and cooking water 
in barrels for the women of the town. He 
continued in this business until his death, 
which occurred in 1874. In early days he 
lived on the lot now owned by Dr. T C. 
Lawson. He died in his own home near 
the new cemetery. 



It is unfortunate enough to have been 
painted black by our Creator in these days, 
hut in 1840 it was a terrible calamity. A 
negro then had no rights : he was nothing 
but a "d — d nigger;" anybody and every- 
body had a right to abuse, beat, stone and 
maltreat him. This right, too, was pretty 
generally exercised. I have seen a white 
bully deliberately step up in front of :; 
negro, in a public street, and with the ex- 
clamation, "Take that, you d — d nigger." 
knock him down, and this too without any 
cause, word or look from the negro. This 
was done only to exhibit what the ruffian 
could do. Had the negro, even. after this 
outrage, said a Avoid in his own defense, 
the cry would have been raised, "Kill the 
d — d nigger." I have seen negro men 
stoned into Redbank creek for no crime, by 
a hand of young ruffians. I have seen a 
house in P.rookville borough, occupied by 
negro women and children, stoned until 
every window was broken, and the door 
mashed in, and all this for no crime save 
that the\ were black. It used to make my 
blood boil, bid I was too little to even open 
my mouth. A sorry civilization was this ; 
w as it not ? 



:;1 




WESTERN ENTRANCE TO BROOKVILLE, 1840. 



This is Brookville as I first recollect it — 
from 1840 to 1843— a town of shanties, and 
containing a population of two hundred 
and forty people. This cut is made from a 
pencil sketch drawn on the ground in 1840. 
It is not perfect, like a photograph, would 
make it now. To understand this view of 
Main .street, imagine yourself in the middle 
•of the 'pike then, street now, opposite the 
Union or McKinley Hotel, and looking 
eastward. The first thing that strikes 
your attention is a team of horses hauling 
a- stick of timber over a newly laid hewed 
log bridge. This bridge was laid over the 
deep gully that can be now seen in G. B. 
Carrier's lot. Looking to the left side of 
the street, the first building, the gable end 
of which you see, was the Presbyterian 
church, then outside of the west line of 
tin- borough. The next, or little house, 
was Jinimie Lucas's blacksmith shop. The 
large house with the paling fence was the 
residence and office of John Gallagher, 
Esq., and is now the Judge Clark property. 
The next house was east of Barnett street, 



and the Peace and Poverty hotel. East of 
this hotel you see the residence and tailor 
shop of Ben.j. McCreight. Then you see a 
large two-story house, which stood where 
the Commercial Hotel now stands. This 
building was erected by John Clements, 
and was known as the Clements property. 
Then there was nothing until you see the 
court house, with its belfry, standing out 
two stories high, bold and aloue. East of 
this, and across Pickering street, where 
Harry Matson now resides, was a large 
frame building occupied by James Craig as 
a storeroom for cabinet work. Rev. Gara 
Bishop resided here for a long time. Next 
to this, where Guyther& Heuderson's store 
now stands, were several brick business 
buildings belonging to Charles Evans. 
Next came Maj. Wm. Rodgers's store, on 
what is now the Edelblute property. Then 
came Jesse G. Clark's home; then the Jef- 
ferson House, ( Phil. Allgier's house, ) and 
the present building is the original, hut 
somewhat altered. Then across the alley, 
where Gregg's barber shop now is, was the 



32 



Elkhorn or Red Lion Hotel, kept )>y John 

Smith, who was sheriff of the county in 
1840. The next house was on the Mrs. 
Clements property, and was the home and 
blacksmith shop of Isaac Allen. Then 
came the Matson row, just as it is now 
down to the Brownlee house, corner of Main 
arid Mill streets, now Judge Truman's 
residence. 

Now please come hack and look down 
the right hand side. The first building, 
the rear end of which only can be seen be- 
hind the tree, was the first foundry built 
in town. It stood near or on the ground 
where Fetzer's brick btiilding now stands, 
and was built and owned by a man named 
Coleman. It was afterwards the Evans 
foundry. When built it was outside the 
borough. The second house, with the gable 
next the street, was the home of James 
Corbet, Esq . father of Col. Corbet, and it 
stood where the gas officenowis. The next 
and large building, with the gable end next 
the street, was called the. lames Hall build- 
bag, and stood on the ground now occupied 
by the Bishop buildings. This building 
was used for day school and singing school 
purposes. I went to day school here to 
Miss Jane Clark then, now Mrs. E. H. Dar- 
vah. It was also used by a man named 
Wynkoop, who made beaver hats. The 
next building was a house erected by a Mr. 



Sharpe, and was located on the ground 
where the National Bank of Brookville now 
stands. Tin- building having the window 
in the gable vna facing you was the Jack 
budding, and stood on the ground now oc- 
cupied by McKnight & Son in their drug- 
business. P^ast of this, on the ground now 
occupied by R. M. Matson's brick, stood a 
little frame building, occupied by John 
Heath, Sr. It cannot be seen. East and 
across Pickering street you see the Franklin 
House and its sign. Here now stands the 
Central Hotel of S. B. Arthurs. East of 
the Franklin House, but not distinctly 
shown on the picture, were the houses of 
Craig, Waigley, Thomas M. Ban-, Levi (;. 
Clover, Mrs. McKnight, (my mother. ) Sny- 
der's row, and Billy McCullough's house 
and shop, situate on the corner of Main and 
Mill streets, or where the Baptist church 
now stands 

The buildings on each side of Pickering 
street east of the court house, you will see, 
are not very plain or distinct onthepicture. 

While much more could be written of 
those early days, this ends what I have to 
say. I leave any further work in this direc- 
tion to other and more capable persons. I 
thank the newspapers for the many kind 
notices they have given these articles I 
also thank the people for the many kind 
expressions to me personally. Good bye. 



UBBABV OF CONGRESS H 




lllVlllw" 



001*313 269 9 , 



